On display at the Museum of Modern Art until May 8, "Edvard Munch: The Modern Life of the Soul" delves into the life, work, accomplishments and suffering of one of the world's most highly-esteemed expressionists. The first retrospective to be shown of the Norwegian artist in the United States in almost thirty years will feature 87 paintings and 50 etchings and drawings that were carefully selected from amongst the nearly 21,000 pieces Munch left behind.

With a life marked by turmoil and intense ups and downs, Munch was quoted as saying, "Sickness, insanity and death were the angels that surrounded my cradle, and they have followed me throughout my life." These themes are common in the artist's work, as demonstrated in pieces such as "The Sick Child," "Despair" and "Vampire," all of which are shown at this MoMA exhibition. Accompanying the works are numerous essays by art historians as well as an exploration of the significant events of Munch’s life.

None of the originals of Munch's most famous piece "The Scream" will be available, although two high-quality prints will: one black and white and one full-color. Munch created several versions of "The Scream," one of which was stolen and retrieved in 1994 and another that was stolen in 2004 but never found. The remaining originals do not travel.

When: Through May 8; Saturday-Thursday 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (excluding Tuesday, when the museum is closed), Friday 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Where: The Museum of Modern Art, 11 W. 53rd St., between Fifth and Sixth Avenues

Admission: Adults $20, Seniors $16, Students $12, Children (16 and under) free

Information: Call 212-708-9400 or visit www.moma.org.

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(Updated: 03/02/06)