Edvard Munch : Un Poème D'amour, De Vie Et De Mort

The work of Munch (1863-1944) occupies a pivotal place in artistic modernity. It has its roots in the 19th century and is fully integrated into the following century. His entire oeuvre, from the 1880s to his death, is carried by a singular vision of the world, giving it a powerful symbolist dimension that cannot be reduced to the few masterpieces he created in the 1890s. On the contrary, this catalogue proposes a global reading of his work, highlighting the great coherence of his creation, rather than opposing a fin-de-siècle symbolism to an expressionism that would anchor Munch in the modern scene. His pictorial approach is mainly based on cycles; Munch frequently expresses the idea that humanity and nature are inexorably united in the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Within this framework, he developed a novel iconography, largely inspired by vitalist philosophies, notably those of Friedrich Nietzsche and Henri Bergson. This notion of cycle is thus present on several levels in Munch’s work. It is also present in the very construction of his paintings, where certain motifs recur regularly. What this book offers us is a new reading of the creation of this artist whose works are as remarkable as they are unusual.