More About Munch

Recently I wrote about “Der Schrei de Natur” — The Scream — by Edvard Munch. For most of us, I’m guessing that when we think of Munch, this “masterpiece of inner turmoil” quickly comes to mind. Do we ever stop to think about his other works? Probably not.

In fact, many people are unaware that Munch produced thousands of artworks, including many haunting portraits, such as The Brooch, shown here as today’s featured image.

Currently a collection of 45 portraits are on exhibition at London’s National Portrait Gallery. Munch painted portraits of his family, his friends, individuals who collected his works, and even self-portraits, yet we rarely see them or speak of them.

Munch was born in 1863 and was a sickly child. At the age of 17, bedridden with yet another illness, he made a note in his diary. “It is now my decision to become a painter,” he wrote. And that is precisely what he did, going on to have a career in art that spanned more than six decades.

When we look at “The Scream” and read the story behind his series of paintings, it’s easy to come away thinking of Munch as slightly psychotic, perhaps a bit fearful, and, indeed, Munch was a psychiatric patient. In fact, he painted a portrait of his analyst, Dr. Daniel Jacobsen.

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Yet curators of his works tell us that Munch was much more social than we’ve been led to believe. The current exhibition, according to senior curator Rosie Broadley, is intended “to shine a new light on Munch’s deep social connections…”

Edvard Munch was a troubled man. He drank to excess; he got into brawls. he suffered mental break-downs. Many of his works depict anxious moments of illness, fear, longing, and death. Yet there are other moments in his works, rare moments of peace and beauty, such as this serene landscape – Small Lake with Boat.

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Another interesting point — in my mind — is that Munch spent time in Paris where he was strongly influenced by artists such as Vincent van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Latrec, and Paul Gaugin. Did you know that Munch — like van Gogh — painted a “Starry Night”?

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There is much more to Munch’s life story than I can possibly share here, and in the same way, there is much more to his art than “The Scream of Nature”. Art history is filled with troubled, tragic figures, and in so many way, Edvard Munch must be included among them. Yet, now and then, let’s take a moment to look beyond the anxieties and painful personal experiences. When we do we will find unexpected beauty, creative expression, and undeniable artistic genius.

And, by the way, in case you’re curious, “The Brooch” (today’s fetured image) is a portrait of British violinist Eva Mudocci, who became Munch’s “muse” and inspiration. She was introduced to Munch by Frederick Delius, one of my absolute, all-time favorite composers. She was reputed to have been the lover of both Munch and Henri Matisse and certainly lived quite an interesting life. You can read more about her here and learn about an enduring mystery.

Lady With a Brooch

But this is a story about Munch, not Mudocci, so let’s look at one more of his lesser-known works, a self-portrait done in 1882.

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Perhaps now and in the future, when you think of Edvard Munch, you’ll think not just of “Der Schrei de Natur” but of a man who lived and loved, and shared himself with the world through a memorable career as a painter.

WERE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THESE WORKS BY MUNCH?

OR DID YOU PERHAPS FIND SOMETHING NEW HERE TODAY?

Either way, I hope you enjoyed today’s post!