Munch's Chocolate Factory Murals Leave Freia for First Museum Show
For the first time ever, twelve major paintings by Edvard Munch, created in 1922 for the Freia chocolate factory in Oslo, are being showcased outside the building. Known as the Freia Frieze, these pieces have been hidden away in the workers' canteen for a century, where they endured dust from cacao and smoke until it was banned in the mid-1990s. The Munch Museum, just a stone's throw away, is hosting an exhibition titled "Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory," running from May 21 to October 11, 2026. This display delves into Munch's artistic journey during a pivotal time in Norway. The paintings, commissioned by industrialist Johan Throne Holst for the women's canteen, depict lively summer scenes in a Norwegian coastal town.
Key facts
- 12 monumental paintings by Edvard Munch commissioned for Freia chocolate factory in 1922.
- Works exhibited outside factory for first time at Munch Museum.
- Exhibition titled 'Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory' runs May 21–October 11, 2026.
- Paintings hung in workers' canteen for a century, exposed to cacao dust and cigarette smoke.
- Commissioned by Johan Throne Holst for women's canteen; factory had doctor, hygiene measures, 48-hour week.
- Frieze depicts summer life in Norwegian coastal town with loose brushstrokes.
- Exhibition includes 1920s-30s films about labor standards, unions, eight-hour days, annual leave.
- Freia employees will see replica Munchs during exhibition.
Entities
Artists
- Edvard Munch
Institutions
- Freia chocolate factory
- Munch Museum
- Artnet News
Locations
- Oslo
- Norway