Where to buy...Edvard Munch’s The Scream
A version of The Scream can be yours for about $80 million.
It remains one of the “most tortured, most famous, and most famously stolen” works of art in the world, said Maura Judkis in WashingtonPost.com. And for about $80 million, a version of it can be yours. Last week, Sotheby’s of New York announced that one of four versions of The Scream that Edvard Munch created in his lifetime would be put up for auction on May 2. The only version currently in private hands, this 1895 work is said to be more vibrant than its peers. It’s accompanied by a poem Munch painted onto the frame, describing himself “shivering with anxiety” and feeling “the great Scream.” Though Sotheby’s put the estimated sale price at $80 million, there’s no telling how high the number might go in today’s voracious market. The current record for the sale of a single artwork at auction stands at $106 million, set in May 2010 for a Picasso nude. For auction details, see sothebys.com.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions
-
Art review: Lorna Simpson: Source Notes
Feature Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, through Nov. 2