A contemplative scene by Edvard Munch, capturing three young women on a bridge in the Norwegian coastal town of Åsgårdstrand.

Edvard Munch painted this version of The Girls on the Bridge in 1901. It depicts a group of young women leaning against the railing of a bridge in the coastal town of Åsgårdstrand, a location the artist frequented during his summers. The composition uses the diagonal line of the bridge to draw the eye toward the figures, while the dark, reflective water below creates a sense of stillness. Munch employs a palette of cool blues and greens, contrasted by the bright, solid colours of the girls' dresses. The large, rounded tree on the left acts as a heavy visual mass, balancing the composition against the white buildings in the background. The brushwork is fluid, capturing the atmosphere of a summer evening in Norway. Unlike his more turbulent works, this piece maintains a quiet, contemplative mood. The figures are rendered with simplified forms, focusing on their silhouettes as they gaze into the water. The reflection of the buildings and the tree in the dark river adds a layer of depth, blurring the line between the physical world and its mirrored image. This work is one of several variations Munch produced on the same theme, demonstrating his interest in repeating motifs to explore different emotional registers. The scene remains a characteristic example of his approach to memory and place, where the physical environment is filtered through a subjective lens.