Edvard Munch Paintings

You may have come across a vibrant artwork titled The Scream, either via social media or a history book. One of Edvard Munch most famous paintings, it eventually set the tenets of the Expressionist art movement. No wonder he’s regarded as the father of Expressionism! Today, Edvard Munch paintings are known for their intense representation of psychological themes. Due to his unique expression of topics that were unheard of during his times, Edvard Munch artworks have become some of the most iconic pieces of art. Edvard Munch artist extraordinaire, was born in 1863 in Norway to Christian Munch and Laura Catherine Bjølstad. He had an elder sister and three younger siblings. Unfortunately, his family was tormented by ill health as his mother died when he was five and his elder sister, his favourite sibling, died when he was 14, both of tuberculosis. One of the most renowned Edvard Munch artworks—The Sick Child, was inspired by his eldest sister, Johanna’s death. He noted, “Illness, insanity, and death were the black angels that kept watch over my cradle and accompanied me all my life.” After his mother’s demise, Munch and his siblings were raised by their father who was also battling with mental illness. His early childhood had a deep bearing on the way he lived and worked later on in his life. The Norwegian artist was fuelled by a psychologically charged state of mind that punctured Edvard Munch paintings with a sense of anxiety and loneliness. Many of Edvard Munch famous painting were a result of repressed emotions that found an outlet on the canvas. It is believed that his first sexual experience happened in 1885, at the age of 21 with the wife of a distant cousin. He was exuberant while the affair lasted but forlorn and dejected when she ended it after two years. The theme of a woman dominating a man can be seen clearly in Vampire (1893-1895), one of the most well-known Edvard Munch paintings. In this painting, a man seems to be bent over in a woman’s embrace as she bites into his neck, her red hair splayed wildly across his shoulders. This image finds a coveted spot as one of Edvard Munch most famous paintings due to its strong colours and intense emotional expression. Munch was deeply influenced by Impressionists like Edouard Manet and Claude Monet. He was proficient in drawing from a very young age but lacked the professional training required to hone his skills. For this, he relied on Kristiania Boheme, a group of artists in Kristiania. Here, he met Christian Krohg who helped shape Edvard Munch paintings and his artistic abilities. After a trip to Paris in 1889, he found Paul Gauguin’s work closer to his vision of art. He liked the idea of giving voice to one’s inner emotions through art rather than just depicting external scenes. From here, Edvard Munch artworks began to formulate their own style instead of following other artists. Edvard Munch artist kept shuffling between Paris and Berlin from 1892 to 1908. In 1889, he decided to go back to Norway after his father’s death. Once again, art became a vessel of grief and anguish as he started working on a series of 22 Edvard Munch paintings titled The Frieze of Life. In 1890, he painted Night in Saint Cloud. This depicted the interiors of his blue hued apartment in Paris. This is one of the Edvard Munch paintings known for its moody temperament that captures the desolation of his mind. In 1892, a large number of Edvard Munch paintings were displayed in Berlin. The unorthodox symbolism and intense emotional expression found in these Edvard Munch artworks stirred up a controversy but the artist never backed down from his ideas and principles. However, as they say, there’s no such thing as negative publicity. For his unconventional ways and notoriety, he became well known in creative circles and the fame of Edvard Munch artist spread across Germany. The Edvard Munch Scream Painting is one such artwork that has become symbolic of the modern era’s anguish and, perhaps, the turmoil brewing in Munch’s mind. Created in 1893, it depicts a sexless, contorted face screaming in horror. He claims to have heard “the scream of nature” one day, which led to his masterpiece, The Scream (1893). The Munch Scream painting went on to become one of the most expensive paintings in the world. He created two oil paintings, two pastels and several prints of this iconic image. The two Edvard Munch Scream Painting are owned by Oslo National Gallery and the Munch Museum. In 1894, Edvard Munch artist also began working on lithographs, woodcuts and etchings. Today, this iconic image is found everywhere, from lattes to emojis and memes. Munch fell prey to a nervous breakdown in 1908-1909 and the Edvard Munch famous paintings created after this period had more positive tones. In 1937, Edvard Munch paintings were showcased in the Nazi exhibition of ‘degenerate art’. After his death, all Edvard Munch artworks, including Edvard Munch landscape paintings and the Edvard Munch Scream Painting were donated to the city of Oslo. Today, most of Edvard Munch famous paintings can be found in the Oslo National Gallery. Two Human Beings: The Lonely Ones (1894) is one of the most poignant Edvard Munch artworks while The Girls on the Bridge brings out certain interesting facets of Edvard Munch landscape paintings. One of Edvard Munch most famous paintings, Madonna was an unorthodox and controversial depiction of Virgin Mary. Created by Edvard Munch artist in 1903, The Brooch is a portrait of the British violinist: Eva Mudocci, also speculated to be his lover. With continuous exposure to natural light for a long time, these paintings may lose their natural lustre. However, at Bimba, we bring you high quality framed Giclee prints which retain their shine, thanks to exceptional ink quality and museum-grade paper. Further, each print comes framed in an acrylic plexiglass which produces minimal glare, so even the sun doesn’t shine brighter than your artwork!