Most people have encountered Edvard Munch’s The Scream, either during their school days, in art class assignments, or on trips to museums. This famous painting by the Norwegian artist has become one of his most recognizable works, resonating with many who see it as emblematic of the stress and anxiety that often accompany modern life, like facing the start of a busy workweek.

Although many people feel a connection with the image, imagining themselves screaming in frustration with their hands on their face when faced with an early morning alarm, the intended meaning behind the artwork is often misunderstood.

The initial version of The Scream was created by Munch in 1893. Following this, the image was made into a lithograph and several other versions were produced, leading to the variety of interpretations seen today, ranging from black and white to colorful renditions.

The artwork features a bridge with a scenic background of water, greenery, and a sunset, where two figures are visible on the distant end of the bridge. The focal point of the piece is a central figure, whose expression gives the painting its title—a figure with a distorted form, hands on their face, and mouth open in what appears to be a scream.

While the image and its title have led many to believe the figure is screaming, this is not what Munch intended to convey.

Munch included a note on the 1895 version stating: “I felt a large scream pass through nature.”

Therefore, the figure is not actually screaming but is instead reacting to an external scream, with their expression reflecting shock rather than vocalization.

Originally, Munch intended to name the painting The Scream of Nature.

Social media users have shared their thoughts on this revelation.

One Reddit user remarked, “Somebody said it looked like a king Charles spaniel and now that’s all I see.”

Another user noted, “His facial expression doesn’t look like the one of someone screaming, and looks rather shocked.”

A third user commented, “Anyone who saw Home Alone would think it’s a scream.”

Another added, “I thought it was a young boy, left alone at home, putting aftershave on his face.”

A final user concluded, “It’s deliberately ambiguous, designed to provoke thought, to make you consider that maybe there are multiple ways to interpret something, to make you think twice about your initial reaction. something people on the Internet are bad at doing!”