Zorn and His Wife

Art Historical Context

Created in 1890, *Zorn and His Wife* is a striking self-portrait etching by the Swedish artist Anders Zorn, showing him alongside his wife, Emma. The intimate composition captures the couple in a moment of companionship, reflecting the personal nature of many of Zorn’s works from this period. As a print rather than a painting, the piece highlights Zorn’s mastery of etching, a technique that allowed him to achieve remarkable tonal range and spontaneity through fine lines bitten into a metal plate. This impression represents the third and final state of the print, after the artist beveled the edges of the copper plate. Beveling softened the plate’s sharp corners and helped create a more refined border during printing. Etchings like this one were highly valued in the late nineteenth century for their ability to reproduce subtle effects of light and texture, making them accessible yet sophisticated works of art. Now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through a generous bequest, the print offers visitors a glimpse into both Zorn’s artistic process and the close partnership he shared with Emma, who often served as his model and muse.

About the Artist

Anders Zorn|Anders Zorn|Emma Zorn · 1860–1920

Anders Zorn (1860–1920), one of Sweden's most celebrated artists, was born on February 18 in Utmeland near Mora in Dalarna, and raised on his maternal grandparents' farm in the nearby hamlet of Yvraden. Displaying prodigious talent from a young age, he attended school in Mora Strand until age twelve, followed by secondary grammar school in Enköping, where he excelled in drawing people and horses. ...