Queen Sonja of Norway has left Oslo for warmer climes with a visit to Rome and a new exhibition that showcases some of her country’s most famous art.

The Norwegian queen visited Rome to see a new exhibition on Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. The Palazzo Bonaparte is hosting “MUNCH: Inner Fire”, an exhibition that includes 100 of Munch’s original works. 

The exhibition was first staged in Milan in the autumn of 2024 at the Palazzo Reale. It has been curated by Patricia Gray Berman, the American art historian. 

Queen Sonja attended the exhibition with Italian president, Sergio Mattarella. The exhibition is truly a joint effort, as all of the hundred pieces included in the exhibition have been loaned from MUNCH, the Munch museum in Oslo. 

The exhibition includes Munch’s most famous work, his 1895 painting The Scream. 

Her Majesty not only viewed the exhibition with Mattarella, but was also gave a speech at the reception where she celebrated the relationship between the two nations, saying ”This evening is an evening of celebration – both of a great Norwegian artist – and of the strong cultural bonds between our two countries. This exhibition is a testament to the rich cultural exchange and collaboration between Italy and Norway.”

The exhibition is open now and runs until 2 June 2025.