Anders
Zorn
1860-1920 |
The Self-Portraits of
Anders Zorn
The great Swedish master looks into the mirror.
nders Zorn (1860-1920) occupies an enviable
place in art history. His name is invariably
included in an illustrious quartet of late nineteenth-century/early
twentieth century masters of the art of premier
coup (direct stroke) oil technique. The four
names which are customarily linked are: John
Singer Sargent (American), Joaquin Sorolla (Spanish),
Giovanni Boldini (Italian) and Zorn (Scandinavian).
Legion were (and are) the painters who have
attempted this very difficult and demanding
technique, but these four, working contemporaneously,
were the standard-bearers of the discipline
in their era.
Zorn's work is always exciting. His draftsmanship
is superb. His brushwork is fresh, direct and
animated. His compositions are frequently unconventional.
For the working artist who needs inspiration
to free his hand from hesitation and restraint,
Zorn is the perfect artist to study. Here are
four examples of his brilliant work, all self-portraits:
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4. Self-Portrait in a Fur Coat
and Hat, 1915
Everything in a Zorn painting is
achieved through a kind of brushwork/shorthand.
The soft texture of the fur coat
is deftly achieved by thin applications
of very fluid paint. The head, (or
rather, the light on the head) is
rendered with broad, simple strokes.
The black hat is almost an abstract
shape. Note the very dark cast shadows
over the eyes, and the exceptional
darkness of the shadow cast by the
head onto the lapel of the coat.
Oil
on canvas, 35 x 23 inches
(90cm x 58.5cm)
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