Edvard Munch exhibitions in London and the US take art lovers ‘beyond The Scream’

Norwegian painter’s portraits at London’s National Portrait Gallery show his social side, while at Harvard his woodblock prints are in focus

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Paintings in the Edvard Munch Portraits exhibition at London’s National Portrait Gallery. Exhibition of the work of the Norwegian painter best known for The Scream are also being held at Harvard and in Rome. Photo: AFP

Published: 5:15pm, 16 Mar 2025

A new exhibition of portraits by Edvard Munch has opened in London, shining a light on an important aspect of the Norwegian painter’s work and his life.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the Harvard Art Museums’ newest exhibition looks at how Munch used inventive techniques across paintings, woodcuts, lithographs, etchings and combination prints.

At the same time, a major Munch retrospective continues in Rome. “Munch. The Inner Cry”, which runs at the Bonaparte Palace until June 2, features more than 100 works lent by the Munch Museum in Oslo.

Running at London’s National Portrait Gallery until June 15, “Edvard Munch Portraits” features some 45 paintings, including depictions of himself, his family, friends, collectors as well as commissions.

(From left) Munch’s paintings Olga and Rosa Meissner, Daniel Jacobson and Kate and Hugo Perls on display in the Edvard Munch Portraits exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Photo: AFP

Self-Portrait (1882-83) by Edvard Munch, on display in the Edvard Munch Portraits exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Photo: AFP

“It shows Munch as being a more social person than is often assumed. It takes us beyond The Scream. It takes us beyond Munch as the painter of existential isolation and loneliness,” exhibition curator Alison Smith says.