Artwork
Jonas Lie with his Family
Jonas Lie with his Family is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Edvard Munch. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the Munch Museum.
About this work
Overview
The piece is part of the collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo, where it remains on display as an example of Munch’s portraiture from his later period.
Created in 1909, this work by Edvard Munch portrays the Norwegian author Jonas Lie together with his wife, Thomasine, and other family members. Executed with wax crayon on paper, the composition presents the figures in a loosely gathered arrangement against a pale backdrop. The piece is part of the collection of the Munch Museum in Oslo, where it remains on display as an example of Munch’s portraiture from his later period.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, Jonas Lie, a prominent writer of the early twentieth century, is positioned under a hat and coat, flanked by his spouse and relatives. The informal grouping suggests a domestic intimacy rather than a formal commission, reflecting the personal connections between Munch and his literary contemporaries and hinting at the cultural milieu of Norway’s artistic circles.
Technique & Style
Munch employed wax crayon to lay down soft, pastel tones that blend into one another, creating a sense of fluidity. The lines are gestural and unrestrained, imparting a kinetic quality to the seated group. This approach aligns with the post‑Impressionist tendency toward expressive color and line, while the medium allows for a textured surface that emphasizes movement within the static scene.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the drawing entered Munch’s personal collection before being transferred to the Munch Museum, the institution founded to preserve the artist’s oeuvre. The museum acquired the work as part of its effort to assemble a comprehensive representation of Munch’s varied media, ensuring its accessibility to scholars and the public.
Context
Munch’s early years were marked by illness and the loss of close family members, experiences that shaped his emotionally charged style. His education at the Royal School of Art and Design in Kristiania exposed him to bohemian ideas, notably those of the radical writer Hans Jæger. These influences informed the expressive, almost autobiographical quality evident in his portraiture, including this depiction of Jonas Lie’s family.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edvard Munch ( MUUNK; Norwegian: ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter.
