LITTERATUR: Arne Eggum: Edvard Munch. Malerier – Skisser og studier, Oslo 1995.

I 1909, på den tiden Munch gikk gjennom en krise og sto ved et vendepunkt i sitt liv, fikk han også mange positive meldinger. Mens Munch samlet krefter på dr. Jacobsens nerveklinikk, strømmet anerkjennelsen mot ham fra alle kanter. Jens Thiis, nylig utnevnt til direktør for Nasjonalgalleriet i Christiania, markerte seg djervt og fremsynt ved å erverve en betydelig samling av Munchs fremdeles kontroversielle, symbolistiske hovedverker fra 1890-tallet. Munch fikk St. Olavs Orden for "fortjenstefull kunstnervirksomhet" og det varmet hans hjerte at han fikk et gjennombrudd i Norge ved utstillingene av malerier og grafikk i Christiania i 1909. Nå skjedde det utenkelige; Munch ble en populær maler hos det brede kunstpublikummet. Han solgte godt og til høye priser. Denne vinteren var det også blitt lagt planer i Christiania som skulle berede grunnen for Munch til definitivt å markere seg også som en nasjonal kunstner. I desember 1908 ble det endelig besluttet at Universitetets nye festsal, som skulle bygges til feiringen av 100-årsjubileet i september 1911, skulle få monumental kunstnerisk utsmykning. I seiersrusen etter unionsoppløsningen med Sverige ble dette en oppgave av nasjonal betydning. S. 239. Etter mye motstand i Universitets-kretser fikk Munch oppdraget i 1914. Det store maleriet av Alma Mater inngår i Aula-dekorasjonene.

Alma Mater
Lithograph printed in black with hand-colouring on medium heavy cream wove
Sheet: 558x992 mm Image: 380x840 mm
Signed in pencil lower right: Edv Munch
1914. MM G 379. Sch.no. 427 (There dated 1915). Woll no. 487.
Hand-colouring with watercolour in green, blue, orange, pink, red and yellow.
Glued on a support sheet. Certificate of Registration from the Munch-museet and a Conservation Report follow.

LITERATURE: Arne Eggum: Edvard Munch. Paintings, Sketches, and Studies, Oslo 1986.

In 1909, at the time Munch went through a crisis and faced a turningpoint in his life, he also received many positive reports. While Munch was recuperating in Dr Jacobson's clinic, tributes poured in on him from every quarter. Jens Thiis, recently appointed Director of the National Gallery in Christiania, showed both courage and foresight in acquiring a considerable collection of Munch's still somewhat controversial masterpieces from the 1890s. Munch was awarded the Royal Order of St Olav for "services to art" and it warmed his heart that he had a breakthrough in Norway at two exhibitions of paintings and prints in Christiania in 1909. Now the unthinkable occured: Munch became a popular painter among the general art-loving public. His work sold well and at a good price. That winter, furthermore, plans were made in Christiania which would enable Munch to make his mark, too, as a national artist. In December 1908 it was finally decided that the University's new Festival Hall, to be built in connection with the University's centenary celebrations in September 1911, should be given a monumental artistic décor. In the intoxication of victory following upon the dissolution of the union with Sweden, this became a task of national significance. S. 239. After a lot of resistance in University-circles Munch got the commission in 1914. The big painting Alma Mater forms part of the "Aula"-decorations.