Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’ Sells For Record $120 Million

Edvard Munch’s four renditions of his famous art work “The Scream” have become nearly as popular as Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and an auction on Wednesday proved that point when one of his pastel on boards works sold for a record $120 million.

Sold at Sotheby’s auction house for the record sum of money the piece of art history was big on by five art lovers with the winning big going to an unknown telephone bidder.

The only other versions of the painting are currently sitting in Norwegian museums and speculation pointed to a Norwegian businessman scooping up the 1895 pastel on board artwork, making it the only copy still in private hands.

The pastel on board was being sold by Petter Olsen, a Norwegian businessman and shipping heir who’s only father was a close friend of Edvard Munch.

The painting will likely now be even more recognizable than it was in the past as various media agency’s have reported on the sale.

In comparison Picasso’s “Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust” sold for a record $106.5 million during a Christie’s auction house sale in 2010.

In this case the sale comes with a positive turn of events as proceeds from the sale will be used to establish a new museum, art center and hotel in Hvitsten, Norway, the hometown of both Munch and Petter Olson’s father.

The other versions are held in Norway’s National Museum and two others by the Munch Museum. Both museums are located in Oslo, Norway. The sale had to be approved by Norwegian officials and was only allowed because other versions of the painting were already held under lock and key.