Edvard Munch's Life and Art in 10 Paintings

The article explores Edvard Munch's career through ten key works, from his early naturalistic style to his later Expressionist period. Munch (1863–1944) was deeply influenced by family tragedies, including the deaths of his mother and sister from tuberculosis, and his own struggles with mental health and alcoholism. His self-portrait with a cigarette from 1895 captures his instability. Early works like 'Evening' (1888) show Impressionist influences, while 'At the Roulette Table in Monte Carlo' (1892) reflects his travels and Post-Impressionist contacts. In Berlin, he developed the 'Frieze of Life' series, exhibited in 1902, exploring love, anxiety, and death. Portraits like that of physicist Felix Auerbach (1906) reveal his color symbolism. 'The Sick Child' (1907) revisits his sister's death with expressive brushwork. In 1911, he won a competition to decorate Oslo University's Aula, creating 'The Sun' and other panels. Later works like 'Man in a Cabbage Field' (1916) show a more Expressionist style. Munch obsessively repeated motifs, such as the embracing couple in 'The Kiss' (1897) and 'The Scream' (1893), his most iconic work, inspired by a sunset that made him feel nature screaming. The article emphasizes Munch's nuanced treatment of life, love, and death.