Betty Nansen c. 1905

Anders Zorn made this drawing of Betty Nansen, the famous Danish actress and theatre director, most likely around the turn of the 20th century. Zorn was a celebrated society portraitist in Sweden, but he traveled widely and also made a name for himself in places like Paris, London, and the United States. This image embodies the Edwardian era's fascination with celebrity and the stage, but it also hints at something more. Nansen wasn't just an actress; she was a woman running her own theater, a groundbreaking feat at a time when women were fighting for greater social and political power. Through a study of theatrical archives, and through research into the history of women in theatre, we can better understand the social and cultural forces that shaped this image. The drawing serves as a reminder that art always exists within a complex web of social relations.