Diaries and Letters

Edvard Munch (1863–1944) is an outstanding Norwegian artist known far beyond his homeland. Russian audiences know him primarily through the paintings "The Scream," "Madonna," "The Sick Child," and "Girls on the Bridge." However, the true summit of his work, as he himself believed, was the Symbolist series "The Frieze of Life," which he worked on for several decades. This series has a parallel embodiment in literary texts—a selection of which is published in this edition. Munch is not only one of the most recognizable artists of his time, but also the author of unique texts: literary diaries, memoirs, an unfinished novel, philosophical reflections on life and art, aphorisms, journalistic works, and a vast number of letters that reflect the wide circle of his acquaintances. The book includes a selection of the most curious and significant texts created by the artist throughout his life. Most of them are published in Russian for the first time.