Oslo - Restoration work on The Scream, one of two famous works by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch stolen in 2004, has helped experts determine that it was painted 17 years later than previously believed, the Munch Museum said Wednesday. The museum in Oslo was Friday to open a special exhibition of the painstaking restoration work entitled Scream and Madonna - Revisited that was to run through September 28.
Experts have for several decades debated when Munch painted the Munch Museum version of The Scream that was undated, unlike a version owned by The National Museum of Art dated 1893.
After the renovation work and a review of written records the Munch Museum said it had redated its version.
"Hereafter, the year 1910 will be noted as a more likely date, but the date will be accompanied by a question mark," Munch Museum chief curator Ingebjorg Ydstie said, adding that "neither the existing references, nor conservation-based analyses provide any absolute leads."
"The bold brushwork and a striking play of colour," was a decisive factor in redating the painting Ydstie said.
The Scream was inspired by a deeply unsettling experience Munch had in 1892 while walking with two friends according to an entry in his journal.
The two stolen masterpieces were recovered in August 2006, two years after an armed robbery. Security measures have since been improved to protect the valuable works.
The museum said restoration work failed to remove "a stain in the lower left corner" of The Scream while some retouching remained to be done on The Madonna.
Munch, who lived from 1863 to 1944, is considered one of Europe's most important expressionist artists. He made several versions of the two recovered works.
