Edvard Munch: Between the Clock and the Bed

Just before it closed, I was able to take in the recent show of paintings by Edvard Munch at the Met Breuer.

Self-Portrait: Between the Clock and the Bed, (1940-43)
His last significant self-portrait was begun at a time when Munch was
organizing the bequest of many thousands of his works to the city of Oslo.

The painting that lends its title to the exhibition is shown above. A self-portrait, it positions the artist between the faceless clock (time is up?), and his bed, where he expects to die. The walls in the background are lined with many of his paintings.

The selection of works confirmed the general impression that Munch (1863 - 1944) was not, to use a current expression, "comfortable in his own skin." The Norwegian artist, best known for his iconic "The Scream" was, in his later years, preoccupied with illness and death, and had conflicted feelings about women that were vividly expressed in the paintings on view.

The Night Wanderer (1923-24)
Munch described the second half of his life
as a "battle just to keep myself upright". 

Several of the images depict Munch's physical struggles, including insomnia and bronchitis.

Sleepless Night: Self-Portrait in Inner Turmoil (1920)

Man with Bronchitis (1920)
The rapid brushstrokes, vivid colours, and
thinly applied paint imply the feverish nature of the artist's illness.

Here are two of the six paintings he produced that were inspired by the death of his sister. Note that the technique of the later one is much more vigorous. Munch seems to be pushing his style into the Expressionism for which he is best known.

The Sick Child (1896)
This is the third of six treatments of this image.
Munch used a technique of layering paint and then scraping away colour.

The Sick Child (1907)
Munch's technique becomes more radical,
conveying emotion with a quivering brush stroke.

This next painting recalls the famous Death of Marat, by the French painter Jacques Louis David. It was inspired by an incident in Munch's life that involved an argument with his fiancée and resulted in him shooting himself in his hand.

The Death of Marat (1907)
Note the experimental painting technique.

His portraits of women reflect his discomfort with sexuality.

Puberty (1894)
Note the fearful unease of the figure, and the looming shadow.

Madonna (1895-97)
sainted mother or temptress?

Model by the Wicker Chair (1919-20)
Model Annie Fjeldbu is most often depicted clothed or partially clothed,
but here, head bowed, has thrown off her gown and robe.

In 1944, Edvard Munch, aged 80, died of pneumonia and cardiac disease. He bequeathed to the city of Oslo 1,150 paintings, 18,000 prints, 7,700 drawings and watercolours, and 13 sculptures.