"The Scream," also known as "The Cry," is an iconic painting by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The painting depicts a figure standing on a bridge, holding his head in distress while screaming, with a sunset and a city in the background.

"The Scream" is one of Munch's most famous works and is widely recognized as a symbol of existential anxiety and the human condition. The painting is considered a masterpiece of modern art and has been interpreted in many different ways, reflecting the artist's own experiences and the cultural and social context of the time in which it was created.

Munch created several versions of "The Scream," each of which expresses different emotions and experiences. The versions vary in color, mood, and composition, reflecting Munch's own evolving thoughts and feelings about the subject matter.

In Munch's own words, "The Scream" was inspired by a walk he took in Oslo during a particularly eerie sunset, when he felt overwhelmed by a feeling of existential anxiety. He later wrote, "I was walking along a path with two friends—the sun was setting—suddenly the sky turned blood red—I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence—there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city—my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety—and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature."

"The Scream" is considered an iconic painting not only because of its striking composition and use of vivid colors, but also because of the emotions it evokes and the existential questions it raises about the human condition. The painting continues to be widely recognized and celebrated as a masterpiece of modern art and a powerful representation of the anxieties and fears of the modern world.