Hvitsten is an idyllic bathing and recreation area by the fjord with historic buildings and wonderful surroundings. Hvitsten expanded during the 19th century as ship owners stored their boats there for the winter, and the officers and crew settled in the area. Several well known artists have links with Hvitsten.
The painter Theodor Kittelsen bought a house in Hvitsten and during the summer of 1895 Theodor Kittelsen drew a sketch of the Nøkken (Water Sprite) painting by Hauger pond.
In 1910 Edvard Munch bought Nedre Ramme just north of Hvitsten. Several of his best known works come from this period in Nedre Ramme. Today some of the paintings can be seen at the National Gallery and the Munch Museum in Oslo, such as Alma Mater for the University Hall in Oslo. Munch owned Nedre Ramme until his death in 1944. A cultural trail has been established at Nedre Ramme - "In Munch's footsteps". Here you will find information about Munch's life and work in Hvitsten. There are 8 information boards with pictures and photographs showing Munch's art where they belong in the terrain
Fred. Olsen & Co. are also connected to Hvitsten where they have the family place Lysedal. The Hvitsten chapel (built in 1903) was a gift from Fred Olsen´s mother, Bolette Olsen. Today, son Petter Olsen´s Ramme Gaard estate is located in the area.
The fourth version of "Scream" (pastel, 1895), was privately owned by Petter Olsen and he sold the painting to raise funds to build a museum in Hvitsten, where Munch once owned property near where Olsen has an estate, to house the rest of his father´s collection. Olsen´s version was sold for $ 119,922,500 at Sotheby´s Impressionist and Modern art auction on 2 May 2012 to financier Leon Black, the highest nominal price paid for a painting at auction.