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Student Artwork Guide

The funeral

Edvard Munch, 1896

Name Class Date
Edvard Munch, The funeral (1896). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Edvard Munch artsdot.com/en/artists/edvard-munch/
Artist’s dates
1863 – 1944
Painted
1896
Medium
Oil On Canvas
Movement
Expressionism Colour and shape deliberately distorted so the picture shows an emotion rather than a likeness.
Period
19th Century
Influences
Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Style
Expressionism
Subject
Funeral procession

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Edvard Munch died in 1944; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 2014.

Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 29, 2026

The funeral — Edvard Munch Part 1 · The artwork

In context

The funeral — Edvard Munch

When was this painted?

  1. 1860
  2. 1870
  3. 1880
  4. 1890
  5. 1900
  6. 1910
  7. 1920
  8. 1930
  9. 1940

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 81 at death.

Painted when the artist was 33. The artist lived to 81. 157 of the 410 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Edvard Munch (1863–1944) ▲ this work, 1896 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1893 Main working years: 1893–1908 Late works: from 1908

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: artsdot.com/en/art/similar/edvard-munch-the-funeral-6WHKB7-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Espresso #4a3f2c

    Catalogued palette

    • #4A3F2C
    • #2A261E
    • #AF7C43
    • #666D40

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Espresso
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Balanced How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Balanced Harmony How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Balanced Soft How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Edvard Munch over the last twelve months — 87 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 24.4%
    2. 2 Spain 14.4%
    3. 3 France 8.7%
    4. 4 United States of America 5.9%
    5. 5 Singapore 4.2%
    6. 6 Hong Kong 4.1%
    7. 7 Italy 3.6%
    8. 8 Brazil 3.2%
    9. 9 Japan 2.4%
    10. 10 Germany 1.8%
    11. · 77 other countries 27.3%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Edvard Munch

    1. 1 The Scream, 1893 27.8%
    2. 2 Madonna, 1894 7.9%
    3. 3 Melancholy, 1894 6.7%
    4. 4 Near the bed of death (fever), 1915 2.0%
    5. 5 The Child and Death, 1899 1.8%
    6. 6 Kiss, 1897 1.2%
    7. 7 Ashes, 1894 1.1%
    8. 8 Girls on the Pier, 1904 1.0%
    9. 9 The Day After, 1895 1.0%
    10. 10 Christmas in the Brothel, 1905 0.9%
    11. 11 Jealousy, 1895 0.9%
    12. 12 The Girls on the Bridge, 1901 0.7%
    13. 13 Madonna, 1894 0.7%
    14. 14 The Dance of Life, 1899 0.7%
    15. 15 Self-Portrait, 1895 0.5%
    16. 16 Man and Woman I, 1905 0.5%
    17. 17 Cree (casein on cardboard) 2, 1893 0.5%
    18. 18 Jealousy, 1907 0.5%
    19. 19 To the Forest, 1897 0.4%
    20. 163 The funeral, 1896 this painting 0.1%

    Together these works take 56.9% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 629 works by this artist, of which 474 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 163 of them, with 0.1% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 29, 2026

    The funeral — Edvard Munch Part 2 · In context

    About this artwork

    The funeral — Edvard Munch

    A Scene of Profound Mourning: Unveiling Edvard Munch’s ‘The Funeral’ (1896)

    Edvard Munch, a pivotal figure in the development of modern art, delivers a deeply affecting portrayal of grief and loss in his 1896 painting, *The Funeral*. This work stands as a powerful example of Expressionism, a movement that prioritized subjective emotional experience over objective reality. More than just a depiction of a funeral procession, it’s an exploration of the universal human condition – our confrontation with mortality and the weight of sorrow.

    The Artist: A Life Marked by Melancholy

    Born in 1863, Edvard Munch's life was tragically shadowed by illness and death. The early loss of his mother and sister to tuberculosis, coupled with a family history of mental instability, profoundly impacted his artistic vision. He channeled these personal traumas into his work, seeking not to merely represent the world as it appeared, but to express the inner turmoil he experienced. His studies at the Royal School of Art and Design in Kristiania (Oslo) led him towards a bohemian lifestyle influenced by philosophical ideas that encouraged ‘soul painting’ – an artistic expression rooted in personal emotion. This foundation shaped his distinctive style and cemented his place as a forerunner of Expressionism.

    Expressionism: A Revolution in Artistic Feeling

    *The Funeral* embodies the core tenets of Expressionism. Emerging in the early 20th century, this movement rejected traditional artistic conventions in favor of bold colors, distorted forms, and intensely personal expression. Expressionist artists aimed to convey their subjective feelings about the world rather than simply replicating its appearance. The use of vibrant yet somber color palettes, combined with loose brushwork, became hallmarks of the style – techniques Munch masterfully employs in this painting. It wasn’t limited to painting; it also influenced sculpture and collage, all united by a desire to express inner experience.

    Deconstructing ‘The Funeral’: Composition & Technique

    The painting presents a crowded interior scene dominated by figures consumed by grief. The composition is deliberately claustrophobic, with the dark green walls pressing in on the mourners. Munch’s brushstrokes are visible and expressive, contributing to the raw emotional intensity of the work. Warm oranges and yellows in the foreground offer a stark contrast to the cool greens, drawing the viewer's eye to the central figures. The technique is characterized by layering paint – creating texture and depth that enhance the painting’s somber mood. The flattened perspective further contributes to the feeling of confinement and emotional weight.

    Symbolism & Emotional Resonance

    *The Funeral* is rich in symbolic meaning. The bowed heads, clasped hands, and overall posture of the figures convey profound sadness and despair. It’s believed that the painting is part of Munch's larger series, ‘The Frieze of Life’, which explores themes of love, anxiety, jealousy, and death. The presence of a portrait on the wall likely represents the deceased, serving as a focal point for mourning. The overall atmosphere evokes feelings of loss, spiritual reflection, and the inescapable reality of mortality. It’s not simply about a funeral; it's about the experience of grief itself.

    Historical Context & Legacy

    Created in 1896, *The Funeral* reflects the anxieties and uncertainties of the fin-de-siècle period – a time marked by social upheaval and philosophical questioning. Munch’s work anticipated many of the themes that would come to define 20th-century art and thought. His influence can be seen in the works of numerous artists who followed, solidifying his position as a visionary figure in modern art history. Today, The Funeral continues to resonate with viewers, offering a poignant meditation on life, death, and the enduring power of human emotion.

    For those seeking to experience Munch’s artistry firsthand, The Lehmbruck Museum in Germany houses an impressive collection of modern sculptures and works by influential artists.

    Other notable masterpieces by Edvard Munch include The Scream, Model in Front of the Verandah, and The Sick Child II.

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 29, 2026

    The funeral — Edvard Munch Part 3 · About this artwork

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Edvard Munch

    Born in Adelsbruk, Sweden

    A Life Shaped by Loss

    Edvard Munch arrived in the world in 1863, born into the stark landscapes of Norway. His early years were defined by a heavy presence of grief that would later find its way onto his canvases. The deaths of his mother and his sister, Sophie, both taken by tuberculosis, left a deep mark on his young mind. These losses created a preoccupation with mortality and the fragility of life that stayed with him forever. He grew up in a household where the shadows of sickness were never far away.

    His father, Christian, was a physician who struggled with intense religious devotion and mental instability. This atmosphere of dread and the vivid ghost stories told in his childhood helped shape his later visions. Munch did not merely paint what he saw; he sought to externalize his internal state. He called this approach soul painting. It was a way to translate psychological distress into visual form, using the colors and shapes of his own experience.

    The Path to Expressionism

    Munch began his formal studies at the Royal School of Art and Design in Kristiania, which is now known as Oslo. During this time, he moved within bohemian circles that challenged the strict rules of academic art. A significant influence was Hans Jæger, a nihilist who encouraged Munch to abandon conventional styles and instead focus on his own subjective emotions. This shift led him toward the development of Expressionism.

    Travels through Europe brought new perspectives to his work. In Paris, he encountered the techniques of artists like Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh, particularly their use of color. In Berlin, his connections with figures such as August Strindberg further pushed his investigations into psychological themes. He began to move away from naturalistic representation, opting instead for distorted forms and rhythmic lines that could communicate the tremors of human existence.

    Themes and Lasting Impact

    Much of his work belongs to a series he called The Frieze of Life, where he explored the recurring cycles of love, fear, death, and anxiety. Some of his most recognized paintings include:

    The Scream: A work from 1893 that uses swirling, fiery landscapes to represent existential dread.

    Madonna: A piece that explores themes of sexuality and mortality.

    The Sick Child: A poignant reminder of the loss of his sister.

    Puberty: An exploration of the physical and psychological changes of youth.

    Munch was a highly active printmaker, using techniques like etching, lithography, and woodcut to expand his reach. He possessed over one thousand paintings at the time of his death in 1944. His ability to confront the darker aspects of the human condition helped pave the way for later movements like German Expressionism. Today, much of his legacy is preserved in the Munch Museum in Oslo, where his work continues to speak to the complexities of the human psyche.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for The funeral

    artsdot.com/en/art/download/edvard-munch-the-funeral-6WHKB7-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Munch, Edvard. The funeral. 1896, https://artsdot.com/en/art/edvard-munch-the-funeral-6WHKB7-en/
    APA
    Munch, Edvard (1896). The funeral [Painting]. https://artsdot.com/en/art/edvard-munch-the-funeral-6WHKB7-en/
    Chicago
    Edvard Munch. The funeral. 1896. https://artsdot.com/en/art/edvard-munch-the-funeral-6WHKB7-en/
    Harvard
    Munch, Edvard (1896) The funeral. Available at: https://artsdot.com/en/art/edvard-munch-the-funeral-6WHKB7-en/

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 29, 2026

    The funeral — Edvard Munch Part 4 · Artist and museum

    Look closely

    The funeral — Edvard Munch

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 7 — do you agree?)
    4. Our catalogue files this work under: funeral, grief, mourning. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    5. Look back at The Scream (1893), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 29, 2026

    The funeral — Edvard Munch Part 5 · Look closely

    Art quiz

    The funeral — Edvard Munch

    How well do you know this artwork?

    Tick one answer for each of the 5 questions below. Each has exactly one correct answer.

    1. 1. To which artistic movement does Edvard Munch's 'The Funeral' (1896) belong?

      • A Impressionism
      • B Cubism
      • C Expressionism

    2. 2. What is a prominent theme explored in many of Edvard Munch’s works, including 'The Funeral'?

      • A Joyful celebrations
      • B Emotional turmoil and mortality
      • C Landscapes and nature studies

    3. 3. Based on the image description, what is a key characteristic of the painting’s color palette?

      • A Bright, vibrant hues
      • B Dominance of cool greens contrasted with warm oranges and yellows
      • C Monochromatic shades of gray

    4. 4. Edvard Munch was heavily influenced by which philosopher who encouraged 'soul painting'?

      • A Friedrich Nietzsche
      • B Hans Jæger
      • C Søren Kierkegaard

    5. 5. What is notable about the brushstroke style in 'The Funeral', as described in the image description?

      • A Precise and detailed
      • B Smooth and blended
      • C Loose and expressive, reminiscent of Post-Impressionism

    My score: ____ out of 5

    Answer key — for the teacher

    This starts a fresh printed page, so it can simply be left out of the copies.

    1C · 2B · 3B · 4B · 5C

    Check any answer against the catalogue record for this painting

    Source: ArtsDot.com — accessed Sept. 29, 2026

    The funeral — Edvard Munch Part 6 · Art quiz

    Questions & Answers

    What is the dominant color of "The funeral" by Edvard Munch?

    The color that stands out most in "The funeral" is espresso (#4a3f2c). The dominant color is useful when matching an artwork to an interior.

    Toward which tone does "The funeral" lean?

    The dominant hue of "The funeral" by Edvard Munch is ochre to sepia. The hue is the underlying tone of the palette.

    Are the colors of "The funeral" by Edvard Munch vivid or muted?

    The color of "The funeral" is balanced soft in saturation and balanced in intensity.