Emma Rasmussen 1904

This is Anders Zorn's etching, Emma Rasmussen, made in the late 19th or early 20th century. Look how Zorn approaches mark-making: like a restless energy, a need to get every little nuance of light and shadow down on the plate. It’s all about the process, you can feel it. The image is built up through these tiny etched lines, a kind of physical record of his looking. See how he uses the density of lines to suggest form, the fall of light on Emma's face, the folds of her dress. Notice the area around the piano: it’s almost a blur of lines, a shorthand for depth and atmosphere. It is the equivalent of dabs of pure colour. Zorn reminds me a bit of Sargent, both of them interested in capturing the fleeting impressions of life. But where Sargent might use broad brushstrokes, Zorn uses these tiny, precise lines to create a sense of immediacy, as if he’s trying to pin down a moment that's already slipping away. And isn’t that what art is all about, in the end?