In early may of this year at auction Sotheby's was sold to the famous painting by Edvard Munch "Creek". She went under the hammer for a record high price of almost 120 million dollars and became the most expensive piece of art in the world, ever exhibited at public auction.

Not a good picture

The auction organizers did not expect such a result - they counted about 80 million. However, only 15 minutes seven buyers raised the price up to a dizzy height. The name of the winner, who their candidates, and were named. But known to the former owner of the "Scream" is the billionaire Peter Olsen. Why does he want to sell the Scream. According to Peter, with the money he wants to open a new Munch Museum in Norway and take part in the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the artist, which will be held next year.

Noble idea. That's just don't understand why the "Creek" was offered for sale, and not some other works by Munch from the collection Olsen? The former owner confessed that he spent his childhood near this picture, and it's time to show the rest of the world. But for the sake of such a case, you can simply organize a traveling exhibition. Why sell something?

Maybe Olsen, like others, also came under the power of superstition? After all, relative to the other three options of "Scream", which are kept in museums, the people long ago you talk: picture brings misfortune! Known history of an employee of the national Museum in Oslo, which once Pereverzeva picture, dropped it, and then he began unbearable headaches. Unfortunate not endured suffering and committed suicide. Another employee, who also dropped the picture was in a car accident and was crippled. As one visitor who dared to touch the cloth, was burned alive in their house. As for the Olsen, because of the "Scream" he's not talking to brother: in 2001 Peter and his brother Frederick, the lead company challenged in court the right to possession of the canvas. Fredrik lost, and since then, the brothers became enemies.

Blood red terror

Perhaps these stories are nothing more than a tragic coincidence. And the battle between the two relatives about one-millionth of an inheritance is a common thing. Still, "the Scream" has always caused the audience to the mystical feelings. Some even seemed to picture something like a terrible prophecies about the end of the world. On a background of red-brown sky with swirls of colored clouds is a kind of frightened to death being.

Originally Munch picture called "Cry of nature". In his memoirs, written in the diary, one day he in reality saw this landscape. His impressions of the artist captures blank verse: "I was walking along the path with two friends - the sun was setting - suddenly the sky turned blood red, I stopped, feeling an exhaustion, and leaned on the fence - I looked at the blood and flames over bluish-black fjord and the city - my friends went further, and I stood, trembling with excitement, feeling the infinite scream, piercing the nature". As a result, the Munch created four versions of amazing pictures. Three of them are now in the museums of Oslo, and the fourth has always been in the private collection of Olsen. By the way, only on her right hand on the frame of the author recorded above verse.

Actually that was the real inspiration for this extraordinary painting, there are several versions. Phantasmagorically painted the sky, struck the artist, not the nonsense and not wonder that such a phenomenon could be an echo of the eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia, which took place in 1883. Then for several months after the disaster of the volcano continued to throw a cloud of red dust, and they circled the entire planet, painting skies of Europe in the bloody color. And someone thinks that the image of a screaming being created under the impression of visiting the exhibition in Paris, where the artist saw a Peruvian mummy.

And experts recognized in the views of the Oslofjord, on the shores of which is the Norwegian capital, came to the conclusion that its role was played by the location: it was close to the slaughterhouse and a -- a mental hospital, where at that time were treated for manic-depressive psychosis younger sister of Munch.

Many, however, consider that "the Cry" - the fruit of the sick imagination of the author, who was suffering from a mental disorder.

However, there are supporters of UFO version: allegedly the artist himself without knowing it, come in contact with the alien, which is imprinted on the cloth...

Diagnosed with severe childhood

Hypotheses hypothesis, but one certainly true fact: mental health Munch could not boast. Different sources give different diagnoses - manic depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia. Maybe there was a hereditary factor, given that the sister of Munch at an early age found a mental disorder.

The childhood of the future artist was not shining, which could not impose a mark on his psyche. Illness and death followed him constantly. Munch was born weak child and long suffered from bronchitis and rheumatism. And when the boy was five years old, his mother died, suffering from tuberculosis. He remembered her pale face, tears running...

Later from the same disease died older sister of the artist Sophie. She was only 15 years. Then suddenly died his brother Andreas, who was just married. But especially hard Munch survived the death of his father. He himself, as an adult young men in that age lived in France for state scholarship Norway and mastered the art of painting from renowned European masters. To attend the funeral of the son couldn't and fell into a deep depression.

In addition to personal tragedies, a considerable role in disease Munch played and his way of life. Young talented artist still at home joined the Bohemian life that always accompany his drinking and binge drinking, and completely ruined the relationship with his father. While in Europe, Munch was seriously addicted to alcohol. In that period were born and its main masterpieces, which he United by one theme called "Frieze of life". The main place among them is occupied two paintings - "Scream" and "Madonna". By the way, "Madonna", it seems, too, bore the curse seal: the model of Dagny Dagny, posing Munch, tragically died at a young age. She was the wife of Stanislav Przybyszewski - known in the circles of Bohemia Polish writer, around which rallied lovers of mystics and supporters of free love. Dagny did too liberal and left her husband to the young lover who... killed her in a fit of jealousy.

With a clean sheet

Yes, in this "wild" life period Munch have created their best works and received recognition as an artist. But everything has its price. It would seem, that just passed the triumph exhibition of paintings by Munch in Prague. He is happy and builds future plans. But his nerves on edge. Perhaps the "trigger" in subsequent tragedy was his break with his girlfriend Tullow Larsen, the daughter of the largest Norwegian merchant, who was struggling to marry Munch on themselves, but they have only what he hated her and called three years spent with her, lost for life.

And the disease is literally captured by the artist in their Vice. He had hallucinations and paranoid. V year close friend Munch persuaded him to undergo treatment in a private clinic Dr. Daniela Yakobson in Copenhagen. We cannot say that eight months in the hospital, were one big nightmare. Munch continued to paint, was fond of photography, and later his treatment, even wrote a portrait of Professor Jacobson, who became one of his best works.

Returning to his native Norway, Munch continued to work successfully. In new paintings appeared cheerful colors, and the former plaque pessimism has practically disappeared. Munch has received numerous profitable orders - both from private art lovers and major organizations like the Metropolitan University. That's just one but: after getting rid of mental disorder is something in the nature of an artist has changed. As he neither wrote, he has failed to create anything equal in strength "Scream" or "Madonna". From time to time, the master turned to the old plots. But to ignite in my soul forever extinguished the spark he failed.