Storm 1891

Anders Zorn, a Swedish painter and printmaker, created "Storm" using etching, a medium that allowed for fine lines and intricate details. Zorn, who lived from 1860 to 1920, often depicted scenes from everyday life. Here, a lone rider battles the elements. The gender of the rider is ambiguous, yet it is a figure pressing against the weather in a way that brings attention to the difficulties of rural existence. The dark, sweeping lines evoke a sense of urgency and struggle, mirroring the social tensions present in late 19th-century Europe, where industrialization and urbanization were rapidly changing traditional ways of life. Zorn himself moved between the city and the country, and he captures that emotional connection to land and place in this etching. "Storm" thus becomes more than just a depiction of a rider in bad weather; it’s a powerful statement on the relationship between humanity and nature.