Georg Arsenius
1898
Medium
Etching on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Image/plate: 13.1 × 10 cm (5 3/16 × 3 15/16 in.); Sheet: 33.8 × 23 cm (13 5/16 × 9 1/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
41785
Art Historical Context
Anders Zorn (1860–1920), one of Sweden’s most celebrated artists of the late nineteenth century, created this intimate portrait etching in 1898. Known internationally for his fluid handling of light and form, Zorn turned to printmaking throughout his career, producing etchings that rivaled his paintings in popularity. The small plate size of just over five inches suggests a personal study, likely capturing Georg Arsenius, a friend or acquaintance, with directness and economy. Etching on ivory laid paper allowed Zorn to achieve remarkably delicate lines and subtle tonal gradations through the ...
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. ...