This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/9/2022
The art works of Edvard Munch are a legacy to the world. His best known work, "The Scream", has become one of the most iconic images of world art. Travel brought many influences and outlets to Munch's work. He first traveled to Paris in the 1880s, where he drew great inspiration from the likes of Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec for how they used color to convey emotion. He spent much of his time between Paris and Berlin from 1892 to 1908. He struggled with alcoholism and anxiety for much of his life, which largely influenced his work. A breakdown in 1908 forced him to give up heavy drinking. Offered here is a 4" x 5.5" handwritten letter in French, dated August 12, 1936, reading in full (translated): "Your letter made me very happy. Thanks a thousand times! I remember our beautiful days and the good friends [we had] in Paris. I heard from Rambosson and Marcel Reja a few years ago. I will write in a few days." The first of his Paris acquaintances mentioned in this letter, Yvanhoe Rambosson, was a writer, poet and art critic who had reviewed Munch's art in 1897, praising it for uniqueness while also commenting on its physical unpleasantness. The other name, "Marcel Reja", was a pseudonym used by psychiatrist Paul Meunier to publish "Art of Madmen", the first work to address the art of mental patients from an aesthetic point of view. Munch fit well into this category. It was around the time of this letter that Munch's work was declared "degenerate art" in Nazi Germany. In 1937, 82 of his paintings were confiscated from German museums. Given the subject matter of Munch's paintings and his own emotional instability, this is a particularly intriguing association. Luckily, most of these works survived World War II, ensuring Munch a secure legacy. An immensely desirable letter tied in with Munch's artistic life in Paris, it stands in good condition and has been beautifully matted and framed along with a print of "The Scream" to a total size of 26.5" x 28.5". Ready for prominent display! Accompanied by a full Letter of Authenticity from Beckett Authentication Services (BAS).