Edvard Munch

Many people instantly recognize The Scream, a harrowing painting of a person in pain. It appears on countless posters, T-shirts, and coffee mugs. Yet not many people are familiar with the artist, Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. He lost his mother and his sister to tuberculosis; and he was raised by an aunt and his very strict father. With another sister on the verge of mental collapse, Munch became familiar with death and mental anguish at a young age. These feelings are reflected in The Scream and much of his other masterpieces. From his troubles, Munch spawned a new type of art called Expressionism—and produced over 20,000 pieces. Find out how Munch became one of just a handful of artists who has an entire museum devoted exclusively to his works.