Baking the Bread 1889

Anders Zorn painted “Baking the Bread” in Mora, Sweden in 1889. Here, Zorn uses a warm palette to show the labour of a group of women baking bread in a communal home. This painting offers a glimpse into the domestic life of rural Sweden, a subject that Zorn repeatedly returned to throughout his career. This image creates meaning through its depiction of traditional Swedish culture and social structures. In 19th-century Sweden, bread was a staple food, and baking was a communal activity often carried out by women. Zorn’s decision to depict this scene reflects a broader interest in capturing and preserving traditional ways of life. Zorn was invested in conservative politics, and his rustic images valorized what he saw as a vanishing way of life. To fully appreciate this image, we should consider the social and economic conditions of the time, which can be uncovered through studies of rural sociology, work, and gender. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.