Childhood and upbringing

Edvard Munch’s childhood was characterised by a lot of illness, and he had to stay indoors for long periods in the winter. The home and studies of the family were important in his early development as an artist. His parents, Laura and Christian, were Christian, as were much of the extended family. His paternal grandfather, Edvard Storm Munch, was a provost in Kristiania, and his great-grandfather Peder Sørensen Munch was a pastor in Vågå. Past generations were a frequent topic of conversation in the family home, and a portrait of Edvard Munch’s great-grandmother Christine Storm Munch hung above his bed, and his sister Inger Marie often visited Vågå at the Ullinsvin parsonage.

There were five siblings: Johanne Sophie (1862), Edvard (1863), Peter Andreas (1865), Laura Cathrine (1867) and Inger Marie (1868). Their father worked as a military doctor, and was known for being friendly and sociable.  The family moved around Kristiania a lot, and had the material necessities of life.

The mother, Laura, was frequently ill and died of tuberculosis on 29 December 1868. Afterwards, Laura’s younger sister Karen Bjølstad moved into the flat to manage the household and look after the children. Edvard Munch became her favourite, and later in life he tried to return some of the care he received by writing letters and providing money. The father went through something like a personality change after his wife died, and his rages would frighten the children. At times he was a present and warm dad who told fairy tales and anecdotes. At other times, he was strict, distant and irascible. He was caring, but at times this was expressed through constant anxiety over Edvard and the other children’s health. In 1877, Edvard Munch’s older sister Johanne Sophie died of tuberculosis, so Edvard experienced death at close hand several times during childhood and adolescence.  His father and his brother Andreas also died when Edvard was a young man, while his sister Laura struggled with significant psychiatric problems throughout her life. It was therefore his youngest sister, Inger Marie, and his aunt Karen that Edvard Munch remained close to his entire life.

Life as a painter

From the time he was 13 or 14, Edvard Munch started visiting art galleries by himself, and at 17 he decided to become a painter. When young, he hung around with the Kristiania bohemians, which went against everything his father stood for. Edvard Munch travelled to Copenhagen, Berlin, Paris, Rome and other big cities to create the art he wanted to create. He led a wandering life that cannot be characterised as particularly healthy, but he had an admirable work ethic and created great art during his years abroad. In his lifetime, he was both admired and despised, and constantly received a lot of attention. In 1909, he returned to Norway and turned most things in his life upside-down. He isolated himself, rarely visited cafés or met friends, but continued to work just as hard as previously. From 1916 he lived at Ekely, and in his last years Edvard Munch lived in isolation on his property and left nearly all his artistic production, texts and property to Oslo municipality.

• Søren Rasmussen Munch ^1686-1748

  The forefather of the family. He was a ship's captain, born in Kristiansand. Captained ships sailing under a Letter of Marque for Skagerak. Captained warships under Tordenskiold in Dynekil and attacked Gothenburg in the Great Northern War. Ended up as a hotel owner in Christiania in the 1740s.

• Johan Storm ^1740-1802

  Eager to learn, righteous and zealous priest who taught his sons until they went to university. Everyone in the family had stories about him. His library included "One Thousand and One Nights" in French!

• Christine Storm Munch ^1746-1825

  Knowledgeable and accomplished woman who governed Ullinsvin in the last part of the 17th Century. Grew and collected healing herbs and grew spices. She was known as a caring person, and helped sick villagers using natural remedies. At a time when the "cookbook" concept was not yet invented, she wrote hundreds of pages of recipes that documented the meals of the time. She gave birth to 12 children in 15 years, with the seven youngest being born at Ullinsvin. Christine Storm Munch was very interested in botany, astronomy, music, astrology and cooking. She would get down and draw pictures of stars on the floor, she played the piano and was probably the village's greatest follower of fashion, dressing in lavish clothes and flamboyant hats.

• Edvard Storm ^1749-1794

  Poet who grew up at Ullinsvin, and wrote folk songs in the Vågå dialect. These continue to be sung by folk singers to this day. He sent books and fashion magazines to his half-sister and corresponded with his brother in law.

• Edvard Storm Munch ^1780-1847

  The pastor was born on Ullinsvin in Vågå. He was a pastor in Gjerpen in Telemark and was a member of Parliament and a member of the Constitutional Court of the Realm in 1827. In 1832, he became a provost in Christiania, holding a position that was just below the Bishop. He wrote short texts about religious issues.

• Johanne Sophie Hofgaard Munch ^1810-1863

  Considered to be the foremost Norwegian historian. He was a geographer, researched the Norwegian Middle Ages, and wrote "The life and history of the Norwegian people" ("Det norske folks liv og historie") This was cutting-edge research that helped build the new Norwegian nation. World-renowned as a researcher of the Middle Ages. He is one of the founders of the National Museum, and a statute of him can be found outside the University of Oslo.

• Andreas Munch ^1810-1884

  Andreas was the first person in Norway to be given a state income as a poet, and he supported his mother and unmarried sisters. He was the trend-setting poet of the National Romantic era from 1845 to 1860. He produced a great number of poems and plays as well as some novels.

• Christian Munch ^1817-1889

  Edvard Munch's father. He was a doctor who practised as a military doctor in Løten, Gardermoen and Hønefoss. He was interested in history and was very religious and an excellent story-teller for his children. His profession meant that the family moved a lot, such as to the east side of Christiania, where he helped the poor. They were treated in the flat, and Edvard Munch used the back of the prescriptions as drawing paper.

• Johan Storm Munch ^1827-1908

  Emigrant pastor who founded congregations among Norwegians in Wisconsin, USA. Ship chaplain at the opening of the Suez canal in 1868. Founded and spoke in the Norwegian Free Church in Christiania, and published his sermons. Nicknamed "the poet".

• The painters Jacob Munch (1776-1839) and Fritz Thaulow (1847-1906) are also related to Edvard Munch. Jacob Munch was the foremost painter in the Empire Style in Norway. His main work is the crowning of Carl Johan in 1818; the painting hangs in the Royal Palace in Oslo. Fritz Thaulow was the first winter painter in Norway: he stood outside in the cold and painted. He organised an educational grant for Edvard Munch to go to Paris in 1889, which came to greatly influence Munch's artistic development.