Edvard Munch Biography

Biography-Edvard Munch

The painter Edvard Munch was tormented man, who had a very gloomy childhood. “His private life as a grown up was a mess, but he managed to express all his anguish through his creative and disquieting paintings” (Belmont 1). As we take a look at his personal life and how things went for him, you will discover many things that will surprise you.

It all started when Edvard Munch was born on December 12, 1863 in Loten, Norway. He grew up with a dad who was a military doctor. His mother had passed away when he was five years old due to tuberculosis. A few years after that in 1877, his sister, Sophie, died of the same disease along with a brother of his. His only brother actually got married later on, but died shortly after. His only sister left, Karen, took over the household (Edvard 1). These were obviously some pretty depressing things that happened to him. He was stunned at what had happened. Especially at the young age that he was at, he did not know what to make out of it. These deaths could explain his thinking during the time of his paintings.

After growing up he entered a technical college to become an engineer. Since his family members had gotten sick and died, the illnesses were passed on to him. He was a very sickly man during his lifetime. He dropped college to become a painter because his illnesses were interrupting his schooling. In 1881, Munch enrolled into the Royal School of Art and

Design (Edvard 1). It was there that he painted his first self portrait. In 1885, he worked on one of his paintings that would soon become very popular. It was called “The Sick Child”.

After exhibiting his work at the Industries and Art Exhibition, Munch decided to go study in Paris at the Bonnat School of Art in 1889. The same year his father passed away, yet another death in Edvard’s life. He went back to Norway because of his father’s death, and then returned to Paris for the rest of his schooling (Edvard 1). After all of the deaths within his family, Munch began to abuse alcohol. It took a toll on his body by deteriorating his health.

Following his schooling, Edvard moved to Berlin. He was invited to an exhibit and became the bitter controversy. After about one week the exhibit was closed. Edvard began to create lithographs and etchings. In 1895, when Munch had an exhibit at Blomquist’s gallery, the press was urging a boycott (Edvard 1). Munch then moved back to Paris. In Paris, Edvard began to do color lithographs and his first woodcuts. Although with all the trauma and alcohol abuse, his mental and physical health was deteriorating.

He bought a house in Asgardstrand, Norway. He then exhibited at the “Frieze of Life” at the Berlin Secession. “The paintings are fantastic and grandiose…” (Belmont 1). Although he was criticized, the people enjoyed his artwork. Then, during an argument, Edvard lost two finger joints in his left hand from a gunshot wound. Munch now began to heavily drink. At this point Edvard was so ill that he attempted health cures at various spas near Weimar (Edvard 1). By 1907, Munch decided that it was time to settle down, so he chose