Girl with a Cigarette II

Art Historical Context

Anders Zorn's *Girl with Cigarette II* (1891) captures a moment of quiet intimacy in the form of a young woman exhaling smoke, her gaze direct and unapologetic. This, from the first state of two, exemplifies Zorn's prowess as a Swedish master of late 19th-century print. Born in 1860, Zorn was renowned for his luminous portraits and nudes, blending Realism with impressionistic light effects, and his prints were celebrated across Europe for their technical brilliance. Created as an etching on a modest plate (6 1/4 × 4 3/4 inches), the work showcases Zorn's virtuoso use of aquatint and drypoint techniques. These methods allowed him to achieve velvety textures, subtle tonal gradations, and a sense of immediacy, mimicking the spontaneity of his oil paintings. The first-state proof, before later refinements, offers a rare glimpse into the artist's iterative process, making it a collector's gem—here bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Blanche S. Guggenheim in 1953. At the fin de siècle, images of women smoking challenged Victorian norms, hinting at emerging modernity and bohemian freedoms. Zorn's unflinching portrayal elevates the everyday into art, inviting viewers to ponder the subject's quiet confidence amid swirling smoke. A perfect study in subtle psychology and masterful craft!

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. ...