Edvard Munch (1863-1944) has attained lasting fame for paintings and prints--above all The Scream-- that express the isolation and anxieties of the modern condition. Recently, the Philadelphia Museum of Art acquired a large Munch painting, Mermaid, little known outside a small circle of experts because it had never been displayed in museums or galleries. To introduce this important work to the public, the Museum has organized an exhibition that presents Mermaid alongside related paintings, drawings, and prints.

Edvard Munch's Mermaid, which...