Munch in his own words

This fascinating exploration of the life and art of Edvard Munch draws from the artist's copious journal entries, notes, letters, literary exercises, and photographs to present a groundbreaking approach to understanding one of the most compelling Expressionist painters. Like many artists, Munch did not limit himself to visual expression. For much of his career, he wrote almost as much as he painted, and many of his major art works began as literary sketches. However, as this gorgeous and unusual volume makes clear, Munch did not write to explain his art, but as an extension of it. Poul Erik Tojner's careful and insightful analysis of Munch's writings, many of which have been preserved in the Munch Museum in Oslo, reveals the deep connection between writing and painting in Munch's life. Ingeniously organized by themes, the book presents beautiful reproductions of paintings, prints, and journal excerpts as they deepen our understanding of this compelling artist and provide interesting clues to the themes he returned to again and again.