The first version of the painting contains a barely visible inscription: "Kan kun være malet af en gal Mand!" ("Can only have been painted by a madman!"), written in pencil, in small letters and located in the upper left corner of the painting. It is not clearly visible and can only be discovered upon close examination of the painting.
It was thought to be a comment by a critic or visitor to the exhibition. Through infrared analysis and comparison with the painter's handwriting, it was determined that the comment was written by Munch.
The inscription was not noticed until eleven years after the painting's completion, during the 1904 exhibition in Copenhagen. It is believed that the author added it after critical reviews following the painting's first exhibition in Norway in 1895. The criticism hurt Munch deeply, especially since he was incredibly sensitive due to his sister's mental illness.
