Why was Edvard Munch’s commission for the Oslo University Murals significant?

The commission for the Oslo University Murals (1909–1916) was significant because it represented the belated recognition and acceptance of Edvard Munch’s importance within his home country of Norway.1

Following years of controversy and critical rejection regarding his earlier, more psychologically intense works, this major project served as a turning point in his professional standing. The centerpiece of the commission was a vast painting of the sun, which was accompanied by various allegorical images. This work marked a shift in his career, occurring after his 1908–1909 nervous breakdown, during a period when his artistic style became more positive and extroverted.1