Exploring Edvard Munch's Health-Influenced Art at the Munch Museum's 'Livsblod' Exhibition

The Munch Museum in Oslo is currently showcasing the exhibition 'Livsblod', which delves into Edvard Munch's complex relationships with illness, medical treatments, and death, running until September 21, 2025. This exhibition aims to reframe the narrative around Munch's art by examining how medical advancements of his time influenced his work, rather than just focusing on his personal experiences with sickness and loss.

Notable artworks featured in the exhibition include 'Sykesal', depicting patients alongside a nurse in a scene reminiscent of Renaissance resurrection motifs, and 'On the Operating Table', both highlighting Munch's deep engagement with themes of illness and mortality. Munch's personal struggles with health, particularly within a family marked by death—most notably the deaths of his mother and siblings from tuberculosis—have left a profound imprint on his artistic themes.

The exhibition integrates historical medical artifacts, such as a hospital window where Munch’s sister Laura was confined and a chair where his sister Sophie sat while dying of tuberculosis. These objects invite reflections on the gendered perceptions of melancholy and reveal the medical practices of the 19th century that shaped public understanding of health and illness. Moreover, Munch's father, a doctor, introduced him early on to the medical field, influencing his decision to pursue painting instead of medicine.

Interestingly, Munch's art often conveys a critique of the medical science of his era, given that many patients did not survive despite emerging treatments. This skepticism is reflected in his work, as illustrated by haunting pieces like 'Death's Stench' and 'The Sick Girl', which portray the harsh realities faced by individuals during a time when diseases like tuberculosis were rampant.

Munch grappled with his own health issues; he likely suffered from tuberculosis in his youth, which left him with diminished lung capacity. His tumultuous experiences, including being shot during a relationship, further informed his artistic approach, leading him to explore surreal imagery that captured his distorted perceptions.

The exhibition also offers insight into Munch's exploration of alternative healing methods, which included vegetarianism and sun worship as forms of treatment. His poignant self-portrait 'Between the Clock and the Bed' encapsulates the relentless passage of time and the looming certainty of death. As emphasized by reviewer Jeff Werner, the 'Livsblod' exhibition is a long-overdue examination of Munch's interwoven narratives of art and medical history, showcasing how deeply personal experiences shaped his iconic body of work.