Munch's pictorial worlds - the initial impetus for modernism Edvard Munch's radical
modernity in painting was a challenge for his contemporaries. This applied in particular to the
art scene in Berlin around 1900 which the Norwegian Symbolist artist influenced profoundly. In
return he received support there and was able to continue to develop his work. The publication
is lavishly illustrated and describes knowledgeably the story of Munch and Berlin. In 1892
the Association of Berlin Artists invited the still-unknown Edvard Munch (1863-1944) to an
exhibition. The public was shocked by the colourful sketch-like pictures. The artist enjoyed
the furore and moved to the city on the Spree where he repeatedly sojourned until 1908. Here
he learned the techniques for printed graphics and presented for the first time paintings in
several continuous series which would become central to his oeuvre. In Berlin before long the
concept of the "Magic of the North" (Stefan Zweig) was no longer associated with romantic or
naturalistic fjord landscapes but with Munch's psychologically concentrated pictorial worlds.
