Family

Edvard?s father, Christian Munch, was a military surgeon, who was also engaged in private practice. Despite his strict religious attitude, he could hold the children spellbound with reading from his brother?s historical works, novels and ghost stories. However, after his wife, Laura Cathrine died of tuberculosis following seven years? marriage - Edvard was then five years old - he was increasingly plagued by depression and by a tendency to brood on religious matters. Munch?s mother?s sister, Karen Bjølstad, took over the running of the house and, with her artistic gifts, encouraged the children?s love of drawing.

The subjects of the drawings of Munch?s childhood and early youth were what was close at hand; people and interiors at home and the surroundings around Grünerløkka where he grew up. He made detailed studies of cups and keys, medicine bottles and coins or his own hand.

Periods of illness made drawing an activity that helped pass the time and made the long days indoors bearable.