Edward R. Bacon 1897

Anders Zorn painted "Edward R. Bacon" using oil on canvas, though the date remains unknown. Zorn was a Swede who became internationally famous in his day as a society portraitist. He was part of a broader movement that saw painting become a key way for elites to record and display their wealth, status, and good taste. This image creates meaning through its visual codes. The figure is dressed in a formal dark suit with a white shirt and bow tie. This was an established way of signaling status and belonging in the late 19th and early 20th century Western world. He has a well-groomed mustache, his hands are in his pockets, and his expression is serious. The overall impression is one of wealth, power, and authority. These visual codes tell a story of the complex social and political networks that shape artistic production. When studying art history, we can consider artist biographies, museum records, and historical archives to understand this context better. In doing so, we start to understand that the meaning of art is always linked to its social and institutional context.