Munch: In His Own Words

by Poul Erik Tojner

In this book Munch's own soul is laid bare through the translation and analysis of diaries, literary sketches and letters which have never been published in the English language. Preserved in the archives of the Munch Museum in Oslo to whom they were presented by the artist himself, these writings give a unique insight into one of the most fascinating artistic minds of the twentieth century. Munch was as influenced by the literary and philosophical context of turn-of-the-century Europe as he was by his artistic milieu, and by his own admission, several of his major works started life as literary sketches.
Beautifully illustrated with drawings, paintings, and contemporary photography, this book presents an intimate portrait of the artist's life - the early death of his mother, his childhood illnesses, his tragic love affair - through his own philosophical and literary representation of it. Interweaving Munch's artistic and literary experiences these texts provide a commentary on the artist's works, on his own personal philosophy, on the work of contemporaries (Van Gogh among others), and on the sensibilities of his friends and family. Expertly contextualised by Poul Erik Tojner In His Own Words brings the world of the artist vividly to life.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History

213 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2001

Reviews

[N.]

"There should be no more paintings of interiors and people reading and women knitting. There should be images of living people who breathe and feel and suffer and love — I shall paint a number of such pictures — people will understand the holiness of it, and they will take off their hats as if they were in a church."

[Skallagrimsen]

"I was walking along the road with two friends – the sun was setting – suddenly the sky turned blood red – I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence – there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city – my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety – and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature."

"From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity."

"My whole life has been spent walking by the side of a bottomless chasm, jumping from stone to stone. Sometimes I try to leave my narrow path and join the swirling mainstream of life, but I always find myself drawn inexorably back towards the chasm's edge, and there I shall walk until the day I finally fall into the abyss."

"The sea – it is as incomprehensible as existence – it is incomprehensible as death – as eternal as longing."

"Nature is not only all that is visible to the eye... it also includes the inner pictures of the soul."

"The camera will never compete with the brush and palette until such time as photography can be taken to Heaven or Hell."

Juxtaposing reproductions of the artist's world famous paintings with entries from his diaries that shed light on the inspiration behind his work, Munch: In His Own Words offers an arresting look into the mind of a brilliant artist and troubled soul whom, one senses, in another life might as well have been an existentialist philosopher or poet.

[Douar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible writing and depicting of personal memories and events. A great insight of Munch's world, suffering, motivations. After reading it, I developed even greater appreciation for his work. Totally recommended.

[Rutabaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

His journals are poetic. These cover his thoughts and feelings about his art, the art world, and choosing to paint "images of living people who breathe and feel and suffer and love."

"I am like a sleepwalker who stands upon the eaves of a roof - and I do this safely in my thoughts and dreams."

"My art is a self-confession. Through it, I seek to clarify my relationship with the world. This could be called egotism. However, I have always thought and felt that my art might be able to help others to clarify their own search for truth."

Personally, this is the book that always rescues me from giving up on painting, when I'm overwhelmed by the intellectual constructions of contemporary art, and the vast stream of images flowing around me from the internet. Like his art, it pulls me back to nature and the basics of human emotion.