Gopsmor Cottage 1917

Anders Zorn made this etching, Gopsmor Cottage, using dark lines to create a sense of depth. The process feels immediate, like he’s sketching a fleeting moment. Up close, you can see how the density of the lines shapes the mood. In the shadows under the roof, the lines are packed tight, creating a feeling of enclosure. Then, they loosen up as your eye moves down, suggesting light filtering into the space. It’s all about the push and pull, the give and take of dark and light. Look at the lower right corner where the lines are more sparse: that’s where I imagine the light source might be, and from where the scene comes to life. Zorn reminds me a bit of Whistler, both playing with these tonal variations to create atmosphere. But while Whistler is all about soft edges, Zorn’s got this rawness, an almost nervous energy in his lines. It’s like he’s capturing not just what he sees, but how it feels to be there.