Edvard Munch, anxiety, and soul painting
Munch's revolutionary approach to artistic expression
Norwegian painter and printmaker Edvard Munch (1863-1944) introduced a groundbreaking expressionist approach to art by channeling his inner turmoil and mental struggles into his work. While he created thousands of paintings and prints, most people are familiar only with his paintings The Scream.
Munch's upbringing was marked by tragedy and hardship. His mother died when he was five, his oldest sister when he was fourteen, and his father and brother when he was young. His youngest sister was bipolar and institutionalized in a mental hospital most of her life, and his father was a morose and shaming religious zealot. Munch was often physically ill and frequently kept out of school.
Throughout his life, Munch grappled with physical ailments, profound depression, alcoholism, and intense anxiety, including debilitating panic attacks. He wrote, "My father, temperamentally nervous and excessively religious, passed on to me the seeds of madness. The specters of fear, sorrow, and death have been my constant companions since birth."
Some speculate that he had Borderline Personality Disorder, characterized by extreme mood swings and difficulty regulating emotions, unstable relationships, and feelings of worthlessness and insecurity. Munch expressed throughout his life that he always felt like an outsider to society, feared going insane like his sister, and had dysfunctional and unhappy romantic relationships.
Despite his struggles, Munch displayed early artistic talent as a child, ultimately finding a life’s purpose.
Initially drawn to Impressionism, he found it emotionally superficial. Influenced by nihilist Hans Jæger, who encouraged him to depict his own emotional and psychological states, Munch developed his distinctive style. He also drew inspiration from the vibrant colors used by Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Toulouse-Lautrec.
Munch's revolutionary artistic style focused on the exploration of deep-seated emotions and psychological depths, breaking away from traditional naturalistic representations. He depicted unconventional and sometimes taboo subjects of sickness, death, and existential angst. His distorted figures, broad brushstrokes, and bold colors were used to express his inner feelings.
Munch called his work “soul paintings” and declared, “I don’t believe in an art that is not born out of man’s need to open his heart.” He also wrote, “All art, literature, and music must be born in your heart's blood. Art is your heart's blood.”
While his emotive and unconventional artwork, including explicit presentations of sexuality, initially sparked great controversy and offended critics, Munch's innovative techniques left a lasting impact. Despite his lifelong unhappiness, physical illness, and neuroticism, he achieved fame and wealth during his lifetime.
