From Max Linde's House: Theodor Linde

From Max Linde's House: Theodor Linde by Edvard Munch, created in 1902, is an intimate portrait executed using the drypoint technique. This print depicts Theodor Linde, the son of the artist’s significant German patron, Dr. Max Linde of Lübeck. The drypoint process involves directly scratching a sharp needle into a copper plate, raising a microscopic burr that, when inked, produces the soft, velvety lines characteristic of this medium. Munch, a leading figure in Norwegian art, frequently employed printmaking, finding it a powerful means of disseminating his intensely psychological images.

This work was produced during a highly productive period when Munch was actively engaged in portrait commissions for wealthy European patrons. The quick, decisive lines emphasize the sitter's character and emotional state rather than surrounding detail, a signature approach of the artist. This image is one of several portraits Munch completed of the Linde family, documenting his important artistic relationship with Max Linde, who famously commissioned the Munch Room murals for his house in 1903.

Showcasing Munch’s mastery in capturing the human condition through precise yet expressive line work, the piece offers insight into the personal connections that shaped the evolution of his career in the early 20th century. As a key example of the artist’s graphical expertise, the print, From Max Linde's House: Theodor Linde, resides in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Today, such historically significant prints by Munch are highly valued as representative works of modern art from Norway.