Dalecarlian Peasant 1919

Anders Zorn made this print of a Dalecarlian Peasant using etching, a process of controlled mark making. It is all about lines, a dance of dark and light, a face emerging from a flurry of strokes. Check out the way Zorn uses these marks to build up the textures of the peasant’s face, clothing and hat. Look closely and you can see how the lines shift and change direction, creating a sense of depth and volume, especially the stark vertical hatching to the right of the figure. The etched line is so immediate, almost like a sketch, but also so considered, revealing the artist's hand and decision-making. Zorn's work reminds me a bit of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who really understood the power of printmaking, the way a simple line can convey so much emotion and humanity. Ultimately, this print celebrates the beauty and dignity of everyday people, reminding us that art can be found in the most unexpected places.