Workers Returning Home is an oil painting created by Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch between 1913 and 1914. This artwork is considered one of the largest paintings that Munch ever made and it currently sits in the Munch Museum in Norway. The painting reflects Munch’s belief in the working class as the dominant force in society of the future.
Edvard Munch was a renowned painter known for his angst-ridden paintings tackling themes such as love, anxiety, melancholia, and death. Workers Returning Home stands out among his many masterpieces as it conveys a political message through artistic expression. The painting shows workers triumphantly returning to their homes after a long day at work while vibrant colors burst from behind them.
Munch’s inspiration for this painting was rooted in his solidarity with the working class; he believed that they represented hope and resilience during times of social change. In Workers Returning Home, he depicts hope through a positive representation of workers on their way back home despite signs of fatigue from long hours spent at work. It can be seen as symbolic art that showcases how essential members of society harvest strength from each other to rise above challenges posed by oppressive systems like capitalism.”
