Munch Chronology

Date

Event

1863

Born, December 12 in Løten, Hedmark, to Dr. Christian Munch and wife Laura Catherine (Bjølstad).

1864

The family moves to Christiania (which became Kristiania in 1877, and then Oslo in 1925).

1865

Brother, Peter, is born.

1867

Sister, Laura, is born.

1868

Sister, Inger, is born. Mother, Laura Catherine, dies of tuberculosis December 29.

1875

The family moves to Grunnerløkka, after Laura’s sister Karen Bjølstad, takes on duties of raising the children.

1877

Sister, Sophia, dies of tuberculosis at age 15.

1878

At the urging of Dr. Munch, Edvard enrolls in Technical College, studying mathematics and physics. Shows talent in the field of technical drawing.

1880

Leaves Technical College due to poor health; begins painting.

1881

Admitted to Tegneskole (Royal School of Art and Design) in Kristiania. Studies sculpture under Julius Middlethun.

1882

Rents studio with six other artists, supervised by Norwegian artist, Christian Krohg. First public exhibit at the Industries and Art Exhibition. Takes part in the organization of the first Høstutstilling, free of censorship.

1883

Attends Frits Thaulow’s Friluftsakademi at Modum. Exhibits Girl Kindling a Stove at the Open Air Academy’s Autumn Exhibition.

1884

Exhibits Morning. Receives small grant from Fritz Thaulow to study in Antwerp and Paris.

1885

Travels to Paris via Antwerp. Exhibits internationally for first time - Inger in Black - at World Exhibition in Antwerp. Visits the Salon and the Louvre in Paris. Becomes closely associated with Hans Jaeger and the Kristiania-Bohéme. Younger brother, Andreas, dies of pneumonia.

1886

Returns to Norway, exhibits at the Høstutstilling. Meets and begins affair with Millie Thaulow, wife of Carl Thaulow’s brother, Fritz. Begins writing auto-biographical journal, which serves as reference for majority of paintings in 1890s.

1887

Exhibits six works in the Autumn Exhibition.

1888

Exhibits small selection in Copenhagen.

1889

Spends summer at Åsgårdstrand on Kristiania Fjord (now Oslo Fjord). Holds large one-man exhibition at the Studentersamfund, Krisiania in April and May. Receives three-year study grant from Norwegian government. Returns to Paris in the fall to study with Léon Bonnat.

1890

Returns to Norway, relocating in St. Cloud. Receives word of his father’s death. Exhibits in Autumn Exhibition.

1891

Creates drawings as illustrations for Alruner, a collection of poetry by Emanuel Goldstein. Also provides drawings for publication with (but not illustrations for) works of Norwegian poets Vilhelm Krag and Sigbjorn Obstfelder.

1892

Arrives in Berlin in autumn, invited by the Verein Berline Kunstler to exhibit. Due to public outrage at the content, exhibition is closed after one week by members of the Verein.

1893

Exhibits in Copenhagen, Breslau, Dresden, and Munich. Exhibits at Unter den Linden in Berlin, showing paintings from the “Love” series, which eventually becomes part of the Frieze of Life. Meets August Strindberg.

1894

Sister, Laura, hospitalized for schizophrenia. Exhibits in Stockholm for the Art Association. Begins making prints in order to create sales to larger audiences. Also for financial reasons, learns to make drypoints.

1895

Experiments with graphic design, including etching and lithography; produces first colour lithographs and woodcuts. Julius Meier-Graefe releases portfolio of eight engravings. Exhibits at Ugo Barroccio Gallery. Press calls for a boycott of exhibition at Bloomquist’s Galleryin Kristiania. In October, brother, Andreas, dies of pneumonia.

1896

Moves to Paris. Collaborates with Auguste Clot on woodcuts. Exhibits paintings at Bing's Salon de l'Art Nouveau. Produces Lithograph of The Sick Child and woodcut of The Kiss.

1897

Produces posters for Ibsen's Peer Gynt and John Gabriel Borkman. Exhibits works at the Salon Indépendants, including some from The Frieze of Life. Buys house in Åsgårdstrand.

1898

Travels to Copenhagen, Berlin, and Paris. Meets and begins a relationship with Tulla Larsen. Suffers from poor health. Illustrates Strindberg's article in Quickborn, a journal.

1899

Travels to Berlin, Paris, Italy, and Norway. Enters a sanatorium in Gudbrandsdalen, Norway.

1900

Attempts to end relationship with Larsen. Enters a sanatorium in Switzerland. Exhibits at Arno Wolfframm's gallery with favorable reviews.

1902

Exhibits The Frieze of Life in its entirety at Berlin Secession. Spends summer in Åsgårdstrand. Argument with Tulla Larsen ends relationship and results in a gunshot wound to left hand, leaving permanent injury.

1903

Divides time between Paris and Germany. Receives state grant from Germany. Exhibits in Kristiania, Berlin, Hamburg, and Vienna.

1904

Shows five paintings at the Salon Indépendents. Joins Berlin Secession. Is commissioned for paintings by German collector Max Linde for paintings. Exhibits one-man show in Copenhagen.

1905

Mental and physical health worsens, alcohol consumption increases.. Exhibits in Prague at the Manes Art Association, to much success.

1906

Travels to Weimar, Berlin, and Jena. Works on scenery for a production of Henrik Ibsen's plays Ghosts and Hedda Gabler.

1907

Works on the interior of Max Reinhardt's Kammerspiel Theatre.

1908

Suffers complete nervous breakdown and spends eight months at Dr. Jacobson's clinic in Copenhagen, Denmark. Exhibits in Germany, Demark, and Sweden. Receives the Royal Order of St. Olaf.

1909

Returns to Norway, renting an isolated estate in Kragerø on Norway’s southern coast. Enters competition to create wall paintings in University Aula in Kristiania.

1910

Begins work on Oslo University murals, including History, The Sun, Alma Mater, and Workers in the Snow.

1912

Invited by the Sonderbund of Dusseldorf to exhibit in Cologne. Wins Oslo commission. Meets Curt Glaser.

1913

Celebrates 50th birthday. Resigns from Berlin Secession. Exhibits at Autmun Exhibition with Picasso. Exhibits graphic works in New York. Travels throughout Europe and London.

1914

World War I begins.

1915

Exhibits graphic works at the San Francisco Panama-Pacific International exhibition.

1916

Buys home in Ekely. Oslo University murals are installed.

1917

Curt Glaser publishes Edvard Munch, a biography, in Berlin.

1918

Publishes brochure to accompany The Frieze of Life exhibition at Blomquist's.

1919

Exhibits graphic works in New York.

1920-1922

Travels through Germany and Paris. Receives commission to paint murals for the Freia Chocolate Factory in Kristiania.

1923

Observes 60th birthday. Becomes member of German Academy of Fine Art.

1925

Kristiania is renamed Oslo.

1926

Exhibits at the Carnegie International Exhibition in Pittsburgh, PA. Sister, Laura, dies.

1927

Major exhibitions at the National Galleries in Berlin and Oslo.

1928

Exhibits in San Francisco, London, and Munich. Begins work on design for Oslo Town Hall murals.

1929

Builds winter studio at Ekely. Exhibits graphic art in Stockholm.

1930

Suffers deterioration of vision. Dabbles in photographic self-portraits.

1931

Aunt, Karen Bjølstad, dies.

1933

Hitler takes power. Celebrates 70th birthday. Blood vessel in right eye bursts, causing near total loss of vision in that eye. Awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olaf.

1937

Entartete Kunst ("degenerate art"), which includes 82 of Munch's works, are confiscated throughout Germany by Nazis.

1940-1941

Germany invades Norway. Munch draws up will, bequeathing all his works to the city of Oslo.

1943

December 12, Munch celebrates 80th birthday.

1944

January 23, Munch dies in Oslo.

1963

Munch Museum opened in Oslo.