Artwork
Death Struggle
Death Struggle is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1915, *Death Struggle* is an oil painting by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The work is part of the collection of the Munch Museum and exemplifies the painter’s ongoing preoccupation with mortality and existential unease.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a dimly lit interior where several figures gather around a bedridden individual swathed in a red blanket. Dark clothing, indistinct faces, and muted tones convey a somber atmosphere that suggests a collective confrontation with death and human vulnerability.
Technique & Style
Munch employs a restrained palette of browns, greens, and blues, allowing the occasional red to draw attention to the central figure. The brushwork softens facial features, while the patterned wall behind adds a subtle decorative contrast, reflecting his post‑impressionist approach to emotional expression through color and form.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the holdings of the Munch Museum, where it remains on display. Its acquisition aligns with the museum’s mission to preserve the breadth of Munch’s output, from his early symbolist experiments to his later, more introspective works.
Context
Munch’s personal history of illness and loss informed his recurring focus on anxiety, death, and the fragility of the human condition. *Death Struggle* continues this thematic line, echoing the psychological intensity found in earlier pieces such as *The Scream* while situating the scene within an intimate domestic setting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
