Anders Zorn: Watercoloring his way into our hearts

By Katherine Huggins

Photo of the Anders Zorn exposition at the Petit Palais.

I am not what one would call an “art person.” Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate the effort it takes in the processes of creation—that application of innate talent combined with years of mastering one’s craft. However, you won’t see me hanging around a gallery studying the intricacies of each painting for hours on end as many so often do. That being said, there has been perhaps one exception: the Anders Zorn exhibit now on at the Petit Palais in Paris.

Zorn, who the Petit Palais calls a “central figure of Swedish painting”, lived from 1860 to 1920. Despite this praise, his work has not been exhibited in Paris since 1906. This long absence combined with the collection of 150 works makes this exhibit a can’t miss for Zorn lovers (of whom I’m sure there are many), despite the €9 price tag.

There were queues down the block for other exhibits, but there were few interested in seeing the works of Anders Zorn. My mother was visiting and insisted that she needed to see the exhibit before she left Paris. But for once, it was me who was lagging behind my mom as she seemed to dash through the exhibit.

A “master watercolorist,” the most striking of his works were those that portrayed waves on water. They look like photographs, perfectly capturing the light as the ripples on a river would. Perhaps the reason I found it so fascinating was because I couldn’t (and still don’t) understand. While painting, he was able to overcome the normal instincts when it comes to depicting something: one naturally wants to outline a shape and shade it in accordingly. Instead, he used the blank space to his advantage. While I’m sure the rest of his paintings (he later moved into etchings, then mostly female nude oil paintings depicting Swedish culture) were certainly noteworthy, to me they paled in comparison to those wavy watercolors.

The Petit Palais, where the exposition is held, puts on display over 150 of Zorn’s works, ranging from paintings to watercolours to engravings to photographs. Zorn’s multidisciplinary approach to art allows for a deep appreciation and feelings of awe on the part of any observer. The exhibition is perfect for everyone, art connoisseur or not.

The temporary exhibit “Anders Zorn : le maître de la peinture suédoise” is on at the Petit Palais, Paris until the 17th of December.