Edvard Munch

Edvard Munch (1863 - 1944)

Born Edvard Munch on December 12, 1863 in Ådalsbruk, Løten, Sweden–Norway. Moved to Oslo, Norway at the age of four.

Munch had a series of tragedies happen in his family, including the death of his mother when he was five, his sister when he was 14, his father when he was age 26, and his brother when he was 32. Munch was a sick child most of his life and spent a lot of time drawing while in bed. These two influences are thought to be why his images have a dark and sometimes ghoulish vibe to them.

Originally went to school to study engineering, but switched to art after two years of study. He traveled to Paris in 1889, and was influenced by the works of Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin and Henri de Tolouse-Lautrec.

Died on January 23, 1944, at the age of 80, in Oslo, Norway.

There are actually four versions of The Scream. The most famous was printed in 1893, and is housed in the National Gallery in Oslo, Norway. Two years later, Munch created a lithograph version and he printed about 45 copies. That same year, he created a pastel on cardboard version of The Scream. This was bought in 2012 by Leon Black for $120 million dollars; it is in his private collection. Finally in 1910, Munch painted another tempera on cardboard version of The Scream. It is a bit brighter in color and is in the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. Fun fact: both paintings were stolen! The original painting was stolen in 1994 during the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, held in nearby Lillehammer; it was found a few months later and returned to the museum. The 1910 painting was stolen in 2004, but returned to the museum in 2006.