Considered his country of Norway's greatest artist, Munch's works were very influential in the shaping of modern art. He is best know for his painting called "The Scream". It is a visual representation of an anxiety attack suffered by the artist. It is interesting to note that the blood red sky that seemed to trigger the attack was probably a result of atmospheric changes caused by the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa.
Most of Munch's work revolve around very dark and highly emotional subjects. He lost his mother when he was only five to tuberculosis and then watched the same disease claim the life of his favorite older sister nine years later. Later he also experienced the deaths of his brother, father and grandfather. In his own life, he spent more time sick than well so it is no wonder that the artist grew up constantly feeling the shadow of death upon his shoulders. His father's hyper-religiosity did not help matters either.
Much was by no means an instant success. For many years the public decried his work as shocking and even closed down an exhibit in the public interest. Eventually he did win some recognition and won a scholarship to study art in Paris. It took many more years for him to achieve financial security. His sanity was always on the brink and he entered a sanitarium to try to balance his erratic personality which was often exacerbated by heavy drinking. He never married.
Munch retained a great many of his paintings, refusing to sell them and labeling them as "his children". During the German occupation of Norway in World War II he was constantly in fear of Nazi confiscation. It is very ironic that when he died, he was given a funeral procession by the Nazi regime. His painting were bequeathed to the city of Oslo where there is now a museum which boasts 1100 paintings, 4500 drawings, and 18,000 prints-
the world's largest collection of his work.
Though Munch did not teach , he was highly influential in the
German expressionist movement which prized the emotive qualities
of art beyond the simple appearance or visual representation.
Most of Munch's work revolve around very dark and highly emotional subjects. He lost his mother when he was only five to tuberculosis and then watched the same disease claim the life of his favorite older sister nine years later. Later he also experienced the deaths of his brother, father and grandfather. In his own life, he spent more time sick than well so it is no wonder that the artist grew up constantly feeling the shadow of death upon his shoulders. His father's hyper-religiosity did not help matters either.
Much was by no means an instant success. For many years the public decried his work as shocking and even closed down an exhibit in the public interest. Eventually he did win some recognition and won a scholarship to study art in Paris. It took many more years for him to achieve financial security. His sanity was always on the brink and he entered a sanitarium to try to balance his erratic personality which was often exacerbated by heavy drinking. He never married.
Munch retained a great many of his paintings, refusing to sell them and labeling them as "his children". During the German occupation of Norway in World War II he was constantly in fear of Nazi confiscation. It is very ironic that when he died, he was given a funeral procession by the Nazi regime. His painting were bequeathed to the city of Oslo where there is now a museum which boasts 1100 paintings, 4500 drawings, and 18,000 prints-
the world's largest collection of his work.
Though Munch did not teach , he was highly influential in the
German expressionist movement which prized the emotive qualities
of art beyond the simple appearance or visual representation.
Scream
Anxiety, 1894
The Murderer, 1910
Dance of Life, 1900
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