Throughout his life, Edvard Munch frequently felt misunderstood and victimized, whether justified or not. In response to these challenges, he often turned to vengeful caricatures as a form of expression 🧑🎨
Munch directed much of his anger toward his past circle of friends from the Kristiania Bohemians, particularly targeting writers Gunnar Heiberg and Sigurd Bødtker, and painter Christian Krohg. Their support of Tulla Larsen, Munch’s fiancée, during their breakup, particularly fueled his animosity – leading to a dramatic shooting incident in Åsgårdstrand in 1902.
💔 Urging Larsen to sever all ties with Munch, she fled to Paris. Together with other Kristiana Bohemians, they formed a prominent clique within Scandinavian circles. This exclusion from the art capital made Munch feel isolated. Additionally, he was under the impression that Heiberg, notorious womanizer, was having an affair with Larsen during their time together.
Overflowing with hatred and jealousy, Munch portrayed Heiberg as a spotted, overweight toad in numerous sketches 🖌️
“Then Gunnar Heiberg
– sailing along
With his fat little paunch
– winking with his piggy eyes
– a cross between
A pig and a toad
– always crawling with worms
– always sniffing out marital abstention”
- Edvard Munch in his notes
Munch was deeply unstable at this point, on the verge of a breakdown. His grotesque outbursts led Krohg to issue a threat of legal action against the artist. This threat might have been carried out had Munch not apologised and been admitted to Dr. Jacobsen’s clinic in 1908.
🖼️ Karikaturer: Sigurd Bødtker, Christian Krohg og Nils Collet Vogt / Caricature: Sigurd Bødtker, Christian Krohg, and Nls Collet Vogt, 1907-1908
🖼️ Karikatur: Kristiania-bohemen / Caricature: Kristiania Bohemians, 1907-1908
🖼️ Burlesk kjærlighetspar II / Burlesque Lovers II, 1913-1915?
🖼️ Karikatur: Heiberg og Bødtker / Caricature: Heiberg and Bødtker, 1906-1907
🖼️ Karikatur: Gunnar Heiberg, Sigurd Bødtker og Christian Krohg badende / Caricature: Gunnar Heiberg, Sigurd Bødtker and Christian Krohg, 1907-1908
#munchmuseet #EdvardMunch #MUNCH