Edvard Munch's The Scream Is Badly Damaged

Saturday, 23 December 2006 08:40

Oslo, Norway - Experts stated that Edvard Munch's The Scream is badly damaged and cannot be completely restored.  The Scream and Madonna by Munch were stolen on August 22, 2004.  Munch Museum experts will present later today a 200-page report concerning the water damage on The Scream.

Museum curator Ingebjoerg Ydstie stated, "Water has been absorbed by one corner of the paper board, and there is abrasion damage on the lower part of the painting.  We have a large swath that is very visible."  She further stated that the museum is still assessing what to do about the damage with no decision made so far.

Museum restoration expert Anne Milnes said, "There are types of damage we can't do anything about.”

Museum spokeswoman Jorunn Christoffersen stated on Thursday that they would not make any further comments until after the report had been released.  The statement said, "When one has further knowledge of the chemical composition one will know whether the damage is going to be stable, or whether one may risk the development of further future damage.  The painting will be cleaned, the threads in the tears will be joined one by one and tiny, loose flakes of paint will be carefully fastened to the canvas with the help of a microscope."

The Scream was stolen from the Norway museum

Armed robbers have stolen the iconic Edvard Munch painting, The Scream, from the Munch Museum in Norway on Sunday 22 August, 2004.

Two masked thieves pulled the work and another painting, Madonna, off the wall as stunned visitors watched on Sunday.

One robber threatened staff with a gun before the pair escaped in a waiting car, a museum officer told the BBC.

The car was later recovered and police also found parts of picture frames near to where a witness reported seeing a suspect vehicle.