On This Day – 7th May

The Scream (Norwegian: Skrik) is the popular name given to each of four versions of a composition, created as both paintings and pastels, by Norwegian Expressionist artist Edvard Munch between 1893 and 1910.

The works show a figure with an agonized expression against a landscape with a tumultuous orange sky. Arthur Lubow has described The Scream as "an icon of modern art, a Mona Lisa for our time."

Edvard Munch created the four versions in various media. The National Gallery in Oslo, Norway, holds one of two painted versions (1893, shown here). The Munch Museum holds the other painted version and a pastel version from 1893.

The fourth version (pastel, 1895) was sold for near US$120 million at Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art auction on 2nd May 2012 – the fourth highest nominal price paid for a painting at auction.

On 7th May 1994 the version on display at the National Gallery in Oslo was recovered, following its theft earlier that year in February.

Coinciding with the opening of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, two men broke into the gallery and stole the painting, leaving a note reading "Thanks for the poor security" – the painting had been moved down to a second-story gallery as part of the Olympic festivities.

After the gallery refused to pay a ransom demand of US$1 million in March the same year year, Norwegian police set up a sting operation with assistance from the British police Covert Operations Group (SO10) and the Getty Museum which led to the painting's recovery, undamaged.

In January 1996, four men were convicted in connection with the theft, including Pål Enger, who had been convicted of stealing Munch's Vampire in 1988.

They were however released on appeal. Today's question, then, is on what legal grounds were the thieves released?

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