In 1895...

In 1895, Munch painted Death in the Sickroom , one of the very few group portraits representing his entire family. Through his choice of color and space manipulation, he managed to clearly represent the anguish, despair, and grief experienced by his family as a result of tuberculosis. In the background, the spectator sees a bed, presumably where his oldest sister Sophie lies dying (Ingles, 34).

Munch’s praying father next to the bed is a clear “protestant sentiment” (Smith, 62), on behalf of the artist. The figure leaning against the wall on the left is presumably the artist himself, while sister Inger stares at the spectators with their…