Mme. Granberg 1903

Anders Zorn made this portrait of Mme. Granberg using etching in 1905. The closely worked lines create subtle shadows and give texture to her voluminous coat. You can really sense how Zorn is feeling his way into the image. I can imagine the artist leaning over the plate, coaxing this woman’s likeness from the metal. What was she like? Was she reserved or talkative? Did Zorn know her well? It's hard to imagine how much sheer effort went into this process. You start to think about how Zorn has to commit to these lines, to feel his way through the image. I wonder what he learned as he worked, about her, about himself, and about the world. Painters are always in conversation with one another across time. It’s a call and response. The best paintings are those that leave space for ambiguity and for possibility, inviting us to join the conversation and discover our own meanings in their work.