The Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) presents the painting "The Scream" by Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch. The painting became property of an unknown buyer in May 2012 at an auction organized by Sotheby's auction house. The new owner paid $ 120 million for "Scream".

The picture was an object of study of many books, films, research papers. Over the years its image appeared on mugs, calendars, t-shirts and other everyday objects. Allegedly Emir of Qatar, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and the Greek shipping tycoon Philip Niarchos (whose sister Tina was the first wife of Onassis) would bid for “The Scream”.

Between 1893 and 1910 the expressionist Munch painted four versions of this picture. The image of a man screaming, clogged ears with his hands against the bloody skies over Oslo, became a symbol of universal human concern.

The special thing of this version is the notice in red letters on the wooden frame. It's a poem that inspired the work. The picture that is presented at MoMA in New York, is the only one in private hands. The other three versions of "The Scream" belong to the Munch Museum in Oslo (two), and the National Gallery in Oslo (one). The picture was owned by the family of Norwegian businessman Petter Olsen, whose father Thomas was a neighbor, then a patron and friend of Munch.

The painting "The Scream" will be on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) till April 29, 2013.