Anders Zorn (1860–1920) was the most prominent Swedish painter of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Coming from a humble rural background, he achieved international fame as a portraitist of kings, politicians, and other celebrities of his time. His virtuoso mastery of some of the main artistic techniques (oil, watercolor, engraving) established him as one of the most prestigious creators in Europe and the United States.
Traveling the World, Remembering the Land presents an interesting and comprehensive overview of his work: from his early watercolors and formative travels to his subsequent establishment in Paris —where he was one of the leading figures in the triumph of naturalist painting— to his return to Sweden in 1896 and his travels to the United States. The breadth and richness of his career, cosmopolitan yet deeply rooted in his origins, is reflected in paintings in which depictions of modern life and portraits of personalities from many countries coexist with scenes of traditional life in his native region. The exhibition also includes his Spanish work, with pieces from Seville, Cadiz, and Granada, as well as other works that bear witness to his friendship with Joaquín Sorolla and Ramón Casas.
Curator: Casilda Ybarra (Mapfre Foundation)