They spent summers in Door County, Wisconsin, where Munch was impressed by the clarity of light and color on the shore of Lake Michigan.
In 1970 he and his partner Jane Furchgott began two years of travel, visiting most of the major museums in the United States and western Europe.
During the course of six months in 1981, Munch transitioned from his realistic paintings to a style that was brightly colored, formally simplified, and emotionally expressive—a blend of elements including early Italian Renaissance, Post-Impressionism, and Pop Art.
His distinctive form of representation uses broad outlines and contrasting interior colors to create luminous light and atmosphere.
The deceptively simple forms and large areas of clear color in his paintings combine to create unforgettable icons of psychological drama.