Munch: In his Own Words

An exploration of the life and art of Edvard Munch, drawing on the artist's copious journal entries, notes, letters, literary exercises and photographs to present an approach to understanding one of the most compelling Expressionist painters. Like many artists, Munch did not limit himself to visual expression. For much of his career, he wrote almost as much as he painted, and many of his major art works began as literary sketches. However, as this volume makes clear, Munch did not write to explain his art, but as an extension of it. Poul Erik Tojner's analysis of Munch's writings, many of which have been preserved in the Munch Museum in Oslo, reveals the deep connection between writing and painting in Munch's life. Organized by themes, this volume presents reproductions of paintings, prints and journal excerpts as they deepen our understanding of this compelling artist and provide clues to the themes he returned to again and again.