Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1544828
EARLY LIFE Born in Norway in 1863, Munch's childhood was marked by tragedy. His mother passed away from tuberculosis when he was just five years old and his older sister, Sophie, passed away from the same disease nine years later. These bereavements left a lifelong impression on Munch and are thought to have influenced the themes of loss, anxiety and human vulnerability which pervade much of his work. In particular, Death in the Sickroom (1895) and The Sick Child (1907) draw on his early experiences of grief. EDUCATION Raised in Kristiania (today's Oslo), Munch enrolled at the city's Royal School of Art and Design in 1881. He began to live a bohemian life and made friends with nihilist Hans Jæger, who encouraged Munch to paint his own emotional and psychological states. It was then that his distinctive style began to emerge. THE SYMBOLIST MOVEMENT Travel brought new influences. Arriving in Paris in 1889, he was greatly inspired by Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Then, from 1892, Munch spent several years working in Berlin before dividing his time between the two cities. During this decade, Munch was part of the symbolist movement and embarked on The Frieze of Life, a major canon of work depicting deep emotions such as love, anxiety, jealousy and betrayal. Included in this series is his painting entitled The Scream, which has become one of the most iconic images in art history. Representing an expression of the existential anxiety and despair of the modern man, the painting features thick bands of colour and highly stylised forms. EXPRESSIONIST MASTERY From the turn of the century, Munch pioneered expressionist art. In 1909, he returned to Norway and his reunion with Norwegian nature resulted in a multitude of landscapes, as well as his monumental paintings—History, The Sun and Alma Mater—for the University Aula. LATER LIFE Munch spent the last two decades of his life working in peace and privacy at his estate Ekely in Skøyen, where he died in January 1944. Over 60 years as an artist, he produced more than 1,000 paintings; 4,000 drawings; and 15,000 prints. Alongside The Scream, other renowned pieces from the artist include Night in Saint-Cloud (1890), Madonna (1894) and The Dance of Life (1889). MUNCH ON BOARD Through an exclusive relationship with Oslo's Munch Museum, Viking has been granted the digital rights to the entire collection of Edvard Munch. Our "Munch Moments" bring the magic of this master expressionist on board, with a daily event showcasing pieces of his art curated by theme each afternoon in The Living Room. EDVARD MUNCH A tenacious approach to painting, drawing and printmaking made Norwegian artist Edvard Munch one of the most significant figures in modernist art. ARTIST PROFILE 12 | Viking Explorer Society News