Explore More - 2019

“NATURE IS NOT ONLY

“NATURE IS NOT ONLY ALL THAT IS VISIBLE TO THE EYE, IT ALSO INCLUDES THE INNER PICTURES OF THE SOUL.” – MUNCH inspired by an experience Munch describes in a poem in his diary in 1892. “I was walking along the road with two friends—the sun was setting—suddenly the sky turned blood red—I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence—there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city—my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety—and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature.” The same swirling brush strokes are used in a 1894 bare-torso Madonna, a stunning oil on canvas piece. There are many coastal pictures on display painted from Munch’s property overlooking the Norweigan fjords. It has been said that he often asked his coachman to halt at the plateau above his vacation home to admire the truly magnificent view there of the Oslofjord. He liked to stand at his easel in wind and weather and paint nature scenes by the fjord in all seasons. When Munch moved back to his hometown in 1909, the pessimistic undertone that had become prominent in much of his earlier works faded quite a bit, and he took more of a colorful, playful approach with his paintings. This is clear in his later works. Clockwise, from above: Death in the Sickroom; Madonna; Young Woman on the Beach; Self-Portrait Between the Clock and the Bed; Starry Night 120 VIKING.COM EXPLORE MORE 2019

CULTURE Art on board The Munch Museum has curated a thematic scheme specifically for our ocean ships to showcase several pieces of art per day: MONDAY Dedicated to showing Munch’s many self-portraits TUESDAY Reserved for the display of Munch’s most famous works WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY Selected to celebrate the lighter side of Munch’s work with motifs focused on gardens, animals and architecture FRIDAY Allocated to Munch’s more dramatic work SATURDAY Dedicated to our guests, with themes related to oceans and travel SUNDAY Devoted to calmer scenes, such as landscapes EXPLORE MORE 2019 | VIKING.COM 121