Edvard Munch

A thought-provoking volume on Edvard Munchâs often neglected pictures of nature, exploring the Norwegian artistâs landscapes, seascapes, and existential environments in light of his own time and ours

This richly illustrated catalogue provides a multifaceted perspective on the pictures of nature and landscape by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863â"1944). This important topic has been neglected in scholarship on Munch, despite the fact that it is a major motif in his oeuvre. This volume is the first to explore the theme in its full breadth throughout Munchâs corpus, including his paintings, lithographs, watercolors, and woodcuts. His depictions of forests, farmland, and the seashore, as well as paintings of sea storms, snow, and other extreme weather, present us with undulating forms that animate nature. They likewise provide an example of Munchâs preference for liminal spaces where transformations take place, often celebrating human interaction with nature in its many manifestations. The book also considers Munchâs less conventional landscapes, and particularly those where his famous Scream motif occurs. These environments depict nature in an existential way, suggesting that the artist held a deep concern for natureâs destruction by humansâ"a concern no less relevant today. A complementary look at his writings as primary sources alongside his images shows how Munch mixed a scientific perspective on nature with metaphysical and spiritual notions of rebirth that permeate other parts of his corpus.

Distributed for MUNCH 

Exhibition Schedule:

Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, MA
(June 10â"October 15, 2023)

Museum Barberini, Potsdam
(November 18, 2023â"April 1, 2024)

Munch Museum, Oslo
(April 27â"August 24, 2024)