Death in the Sickroom

By Abisha Gurion

The painting Death in the Sick room was made by Edvard Munch in 1893. I chose this painting because of its unique art style and its backstory. It is about sister Sophie’s death. The theme is one of a number of Munch’s portrayals of sickness, death and sorrow in the family. In the painting, which Edvard Munch also called The Moment of Death, all the family members are portrayed at the ages they were when the motif was painted in 1893.

The picture shows the artist’s family grouped around his sister Sophie. She is sitting in a chair with her back to us. To the right stands an Aunt, Karen Bjølstad, who moved in with the family to take care of the children and the household after the mother passed away of tuberculosis in 1877. In the background stands the father, the doctor Christian Munch, with his hands together as if he was praying. Near the centre of the picture is a male figure, probably Edvard, showing only half of his face. Sister Laura is sitting in the foreground with her hands in her lap, while the third sister, Inger, stands staring straight at us. The male figure to the left is generally identified as Edvard’s younger brother Andreas.

In Death in the Sick-Room there is no physical contact between the family members, except for the hand that aunt Karen has laid on the back of the chair in which the invalid sits.

The large separated colour surfaces and the simplified forms limited by clear contours show ties with symbolism and synthetism and Paul Gauguin. Munch painted two versions of Death in the Sickroom. Both paintings are to be found in Oslo – one in the National Gallery and this one in the Munch Museum.

In conclusion this painting is significant because it serves as a remembrance of someone's death and someone’s talent. It also showcases their close family ties which is similar with Filipino culture. It’s also significant in this time of the pandemic where COVID caused death to some people who are dear to their family members. The artistic style of the painter has really made the viewers feel the sadness of the situation.

References:

https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/death-in-the-sickroom/KQEwyUNg0kNPiA

https://www.nasjonalmuseet.no/en/collection/object/NG.M.00940