Munch, Edvard(1863-1944) was gifted Norwegian painter and printmaker, Edvard Munch not only was his country's greatest artist, but also played a important role in the development of German expressionism. His work often express a sense of isolation and fear.

Munch was born on 12th Dec.,1863, in Loten, Norway. He grew up in Christiania and studied art under Christian Krohg, a Norwegian naturalistic painter. Munch had a brother, and a sister, but they, together with their parents, died while Munch was still young, which probably explains the bleakness and pessimism of much of his work. Paintings such as The Sick Child (1886) and Vampire (1893-94) show his preoccupation with the darker aspects of life.

Munch travelled to Paris in 1885 and between 1892 and 1908, Munch spent much of his time in Paris and Berlin, where he became known for his prints--etchings, lithographs, and woodcuts. After 1910 Munch returned to Norway, where he lived and painted until his death. In his later paintings Munch showed more interest in nature, and his work became more colorful and less pessimistic. Munch died in Ekely on Jan. 23, 1944. He left many of his works to the city of Oslo, which built a museum in his honor.