Edvard Munch (1863-1944) was a pioneer of the Expressionist movement. He was a Norwegian Symbolist Painter and Printmaker. Munch is best known for his composition, The Scream which is a part of the series the Frieze of Life. Munch was born to a priest, Christian and his wife Laura Catherine. When his mother died, Munch along with his siblings was brought up by his father and his aunt. Munch’s father often told his children vivid ghost stories and was characterized as being excessively nervous and obsessively religious. Munch had said that he inherited the consumption and insanity from his father. He was constantly tortured by the fear of death and ghosts in reality and in his dreams which he expressed through his works. The Scream is one of the most popular paintings of all time. The painting has the ability to communicate with people instantly. Six paintings by Munch in a series called ‘Frieze of Life’ were a part of the exhibition of a major art show in Berlin, in 1892. The paintings caused a big shock among the audience and were ordered to be terminated by the authorities. Munch, through his paintings expressed his feelings which can be easily felt by the audience.
