Cover Love: Knut Hamsun series from Souvenir Press

It’s been a wee while since I’ve done a Cover Love post (my last one was the four-volume Ox-Tales collection from Profile Books), so what better way to bring it back than with a post celebrating eight of the titles I’m reading in my Totally Knut reading project. All published by small independent publisher Souvenir Press, the collection of eight all feature artwork from one of my favourite artists- Edvard Munch (perhaps most famous for his painting, ‘The Scream’).

I think everyone will agree that the Munch artwork really does do these covers justice. And while I’m slightly disappointed not to see exactly the same cover design carried across the entire range, the pleasure one gets from gazing upon the sublime artwork of Edvard Munch, every time one picks up one of these Souvenir Press volumes, is indescribable. What’s more the decision to use Munch’s artwork on the covers of these Hamsun novels is a stroke of genius. Because after all Edvard Munch was not only a fellow-Norwegian and contemporary of Knut Hamsun, but both men were prolific in their respective art too – a befitting tribute to both then, to pair them together.

So for the pleasure of those who may want to know more about the Munch artwork that’s been used for these covers, here’s a rundown on artwork that’s been used for each of the books, with a link to an original example:

• Mysteries (1892) – ‘Snow Falling in the Lane’, 1906.
• Victoria (1898) – ‘Moonlight’, 1895.
• Tales of Love and Loss (1890s) – ‘Despair (Fortvilelse)‘, 1892.
• Dreamers (1904) – ‘Two Human Beings. The Lonely Ones‘, 1899.
• The Growth of the Soil (1917) – ‘Winter, Kragero‘, 1912.
• The Wanderer (1906/1909) – ‘The Wave’, 1921
• The Women at the Pump (1920) – ‘Red Virginia Creeper‘, 1898-1900.
• Wayfarers (1927) – ‘Train Smoke‘, 1900