Artist Login
ARTIST INDEX: Edvard Munch
Article written by Cristina Baldari on November 3, 2021
I am like
the sleepwalker who
walks on the ridge
of a roof—
sure-footed and calm
he walks without seeing
without hearing—
Oh someone shouts at
him—louder and
louder—he wakes up
and he falls off
of the roof—down
from his dreams—
Don’t do that
to me—that
—I walk
calmly in my dreams
which are my life—
—only like that
can I live
J.Gill Holland - The Private Journals of Edvard Munch: We Are Flames Which Pour Out of the Earth , University of Wisconsin Press, 2005
If someone asked you which painting best represents the tragedy of the pandemic, you would undoubtedly answer "The Scream" by Edvard Munch.
Even if he passed away almost eighty years ago, the Norwegian leading artist of Expressionism was a master in giving life to inner feelings throught a beautiful, timeless creative chemistry. Shades, portrayed characters and textures are still speaking loudly to us.
Edvard Munch (born December 12, 1863, Löten—died January 23, 1944, Ekely) grew up into a middle-class family that was plagued with a suffering story. His mother died when he was five, his eldest sister when he was 14, both of tuberculosis; his father and brother also died when he was still young, and another sister developed mental illness.
Spending a lot of time staying at bed in order to recover from his weak healt was the reason why he approched art so early.
He organized his first stolo exhibition in Kristiania, Oslo's ol name, in the spring of 1889.
Munch lived mainly in Berlin in 1892–95 and then in Paris in 1896–97, and he continued to move around extensively until he settled in Norway in 1910, working until his very last years.
Edvard Munch - "Self-Portrait in Hell" (1903)
The biggest Munch's artwork collection has recently receveid a restyling: the Oslo Munchmuseet changed its place from Tøyen -where it was opened in 1963- to Bjørvika, a thirteen floors modern building designed by Spanish architects firm Estudio Herreros and four times larger than the previous one. Opening on October 22, The new museum has already welcomed enthusiastic visitors with its eleven galleries, five thematic exhibitions and a dedicated room for Munch's photography experiments. Even the furniture both indoor and outdoor is inspired by his colours and created by designers Andreas Engesvik and Jonas Stokke.
The new MUNCH museum building has opened on October 22 in Oslo’s Bjørvika neighborhood.
Is it possible to admire 26,700 masterpieces in the new museum. Besides the cultural, powerful and sentimental value of his artistic experience, what's the economical one? Let's take a look to some of his last artworks sold at auction.
"Tiger og bjørn"/ "The tiger and the bear" (1908-1909)
"Tiger og bjørn"/ "The tiger and the bear" (1908-1909) is a lithograph sold on October 26, 2021 at the Autumn Evening Sale in Oslo. The hammer price was € 9,280 (NOK 90,000 ).
Lot # 37
Print-Multiple Lithograph 24 x 47 cm
Hammer price: € 9,280 (NOK 90,000 ) Estimate: € 10,311 - € 12,373 (NOK 100,000 - NOK 120,000 )
Autumn Evening Sale 26 oct 2021 Blomqvist Oslo, Norway Details Signed « EDV Munch » lower right Notes: Woll 347 ; Sch 317
Edvard Munch - "Madonna" (1895-1902)
Madonna" (1895-1902) is a lithograph in colors sold on October 22, 2021 at Christie's in NEw York. The hammer price was € 601,730 ($ 700,000).
Lot # 86
Print-Multiple
Lithograph in colors/card.
Printed by Walter Lassally, Berlin, 1902
60 x 44 cm
Hammer price: € 601,730 ($ 700,000
Price including buyer's premium: € 747,864 ($ 870,000 )
Estimate: € 343,845 - € 515,768 ($ 400,000 - $ 600,000 ) Prints & Multiples
22 oct 2021
Christie's
New York NY, United States
Details
Hand signed
Notes: Schiefler 33; Woll 39
Provenance: Gustav Schiefler (1857-1935), Hamburg; acquired directly from the artist on 11 February 1903 (according to Schiefler’s diary entry of that day). Otto Georg Schiefler (d. 2019), Hamburg; by descent in the family from the above. Private Collection, Hamburg; acquired privately from the above around 1968-70
Sources:
https://www.artprice.com/artist/20694/edvard-munch/lots/pasts?ipp=30&nbd=5&sort=datesale_desc
https://www.wallpaper.com/design/munch-museum-furniture-vestre-stokke-engesvik