Sunbathing I

On the undulating rock surface.

A woman lies, bathed in the full light of the sun.

When you hear the name of the painter, Munch,
what comes to mind?

Most people probably imagine The Scream.
Anxiety.
Jealousy.
And the fear of death.
A painter who depicted a dark inner world.
That image might be very strong.

But in fact,
he had emerged from that darkness.
Into a world of dazzling sun and vibrant life.

In the late 1890s,
Munch suffered from severe neurasthenia and alcoholism.
Family illness.
The fear of hereditary madness.
His mind was on the verge of collapse.

However, in 1909,
Munch recovered from his long spiritual wandering.
He returned to his homeland, Norway.

The following year, he purchased a property in a village called Hvitsten.
That place, known as 'Nedre Ramme,'
had deep forests.
And a tranquil private beach.

In Europe at that time,
rapid industrialization had left urban dwellers suffering physically and mentally.
As a reaction, 'Lebensreform' (life reform) emerged.
Bathing in sunlight.
Immersing oneself in salty seawater.
Restoring human vitality through the power of nature.
Nudism and sunbathing became a major boom.

Munch, too, strongly resonated with this idea.
He himself would strip naked.
Set up his easel, and become one with nature.

His model was his maid, Ingeborg Kaurin.
She was Munch's greatest muse during this period.