Sense Sonnet - Pumper

"The Scream"

"The Scream," a work of art by Munch,
What was the model for the face?
Theories o'er time - there's been a bunch,
But still remain an unsolved case.
It is a strange and sexless thing.
Some say Munch used a mummy seen
In some museum, so to bring
It back to life on painted screen.
Some say Munch used a white chert rock,
Chipped black in places to reveal
"Burden that plagued" as Munch did talk,
And painted for us his ordeal.

A rock as model seems extreme.
I vote for mummy as "The Scream."