Margit 1891

Anders Zorn painted Margit, using oil on canvas, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Zorn employed loose brushwork that was enlivened by the rich color and depiction of light. Notice the young woman's simple clothing, the red ribbon, and her concentration on the task at hand. We can consider the material context in which the woman is making hairpieces. The labor-intensive process of preparing and arranging hair, often with adornments, was common. In that time period, women's labor was frequently undervalued, and artistic expression was expected to conform to accepted conventions. Zorn, however, presents her as an individual, who is actively involved in creating. By emphasizing the inherent qualities of the material, the texture, and the form of the woman, Zorn elevates it, challenging the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.