ABSTRACT
In England, from 1901 to the beginning of World War I, often referred to as the Edwardian period, there was a kind of golden age among the middle and upper classes, and childhood became a time of innocence and joy. The Family Scene from Ghosts was one of a number of images that Munch did for the play. In 1906 he collaborated with the playwright Henrik Ibsen and painted the scenic designs for the performance. The family became an important subject in the art of National Socialism, particularly the family of the farmer. More traditional images of family life in the early part of the century may be seen in a 1923 painting by Charles Hopkinson, The Hopkinson Family Portrait, depicting a seemingly harmonious family scene in a living room. The family members are surrounded by four bouquets of flowers, connecting them with the world of nature and adding fragrance to the painting.
