Anders Zorn: a European Artist Seduces America

Accompanying a major exhibition at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, this publication re-evaluates the artistic achievements of the Swedish painter Anders Zorn, (b. 1860 d.1920), one of the most significant artists of the Belle Époque but one who is still remarkably understudied. Bringing his subjects to life with broad brushstrokes, Zorn experimented with different subjects and styles, absorbing and developing the latest trends, pushing them further. Moreover, he was a crucial disseminator of the latest Swedish art, connecting Scandinavia with Western Europe and with the United States. If we follow the breathless media coverage during Zorn's multiple stays in the States, we might well come to the conclusion that he seduced the nation. America was entirely taken by this Prince of Art, who exhibited widely, showcasing his sweeping portraits of socialites, unashamed nudes and brilliant genre scenes.