Antonin Proust 

Anders Zorn's "Antonin Proust" is a display of virtuosic brushwork and compositional risk that captures the sitter's likeness through form. The painting unfolds with a palette of rich browns and creams, creating a warm but muted atmosphere. The sitter's gaze drifts off canvas, inviting the viewer to contemplate the unspoken. Zorn’s technique is on full display, with loose brushstrokes creating the textures of fabric, skin, and beard with remarkable efficiency. The composition destabilizes traditional portraiture with its off-center arrangement. Proust is positioned at a diagonal, leaning back in his chair, which disrupts the conventional formality of portraiture. The overall effect is a portrait that feels both intimate and monumental, demonstrating Zorn's keen ability to capture not just a likeness, but a sense of presence and the passage of time.