Edvard Munch (1863-1944) was one of the pioneers of modern art. His works revolve around the great human tragedies of love and death, which the intrepid founder of Expressionism varied with hitherto unseen psychological immediacy in his visual language. This book focuses on the significance of Munch's oeuvre as a highly independent contribution to modern art. Including over one hundred and thirty paintings, as well as eighty-five works on paper, this is the first publication to shed light on the disappearance and re-creation of the motif in the context of material-based modernity. This fundamental theme can be contemplated on the levels of motif as well as material: for instance, the artist not only integrated the aspect of coincidence by exposing his works to the elements - his so-called kill-or-cure treatment - but also the aspect of natural decay as components in his creative process.