Monrad was born in Vestre Aker, the son of Hans Sundt Monrad and Astrid Haslum.Norske malerier: katalog. 1992. Oslo: Nasjonalgalleriet, p. 331. He studied at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry under Karl Høgberg and at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts under Jean Heiberg. During the Second World War he studied in Bjarne Engebret's painting school. He began his artistic path relatively late, and he consistently displayed subdued naturalistic expression. Landscapes drawn in broad strokes with a view across the land or sea were his main motif. He often used a limited range of color, with gray or blue-tinted coloring interspersed with green and gray shades. He participated in 42 exhibitions from 1952 to 1980. Among group exhibitions, he took part in the Autumn Exhibition eight times from 1947 to 1972, twice in the Southern Norway Exhibition (, in 1972 and 1978), and once in the Eastern Norway Exhibition (, in 1979). He also participated in the Young Artists Society's anniversary exhibition (1975).
