Summer

Art Historical Context

**Summer** by Anders Zorn created in 1907, is a exquisite etching on ivory laid paper measuring 17.7 × 12 cm for the image and plate, with a larger sheet of .2 × 22.5 cm. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints Drawings department, this work the Swedish master's command of printmaking during his international peak. Zorn (1860–1920), renowned for his fluid depictions of light, water, and the female form, was a leading figure in late 19th- and early 20th-century European art. His etchings, like this one, showcase his virtuosic technique: lines incised into a metal plate with acid, inked, and pressed onto paper to yield rich tonal contrasts and velvety textures. The choice of ivory laid paper enhances the print's luminous quality, evoking summer's warmth and vitality—perfectly suiting the title. As a classified etching, *Summer* highlights Zorn's innovative blending of realism and impressionistic effects, bridging fine art painting with accessible multiples. Visitors to the Art Institute can appreciate how such prints democratized his celebrated nudes and landscapes, influencing generations of printmakers. A timeless gem for any collection!

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. ...