Axel Herman Haig III
1884
Medium
Etching on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image: 37.7 × 25.4 cm (14 7/8 × 10 in.); Plate: 38.5 × 26.1 cm (15 3/16 × 10 5/16 in.); Sheet - folded: 54.3 × 34.8 cm (21 7/16 × 13 3/4 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
41508
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Anders Zorn created this striking 1884 etching of Axel Herman Haig III on ivory laid paper, demonstrating the artist’s skill in capturing personality through precise linework. The image area measures 37.7 × 25.4, with the full sheet folded to 54.3 × 34.8 cm, suggesting it was designed for careful handling and preservation as a collectible print. Etching, classified here within the Prints and Drawings department at the Art Institute of Chicago, allowed Zorn to achieve rich tonal contrasts and fine details that were highly valued in the late nineteenth century. This medium’s ability to produce multiple impressions made such portraits both intimate and widely shareable, reflecting the era’s growing interest in graphic arts as a bridge between fine art and broader audiences. The work stands as a fine example of Zorn’s early engagement with portraiture in print form, where the delicate plate marks and paper choice enhance the tactile quality of the viewing experience for museum visitors today.
About the Artist
Anders Zorn · 1860–1920
Anders Zorn (1860–1920), one of Sweden's most celebrated artists, was born on February 18 in Utmeland near Mora in Dalarna, and raised on his maternal grandparents' farm in the nearby hamlet of Yvraden. Displaying prodigious talent from a young age, he attended school in Mora Strand until age twelve, followed by secondary grammar school in Enköping, where he excelled in drawing people and horses. ...