Première 1890

Anders Zorn etched “Première”, depicting a mother guiding her child into the water. This primal scene echoes in art across millennia; we find similar depictions in ancient frescoes and classical sculptures, all resonating with themes of nurture, vulnerability, and the transition from innocence to experience. Consider the gesture of the mother's hand, a protective arch over the child. This echoes the pose of the Madonna, sheltering the Christ Child—a motif that evolved from pagan depictions of protective goddesses. Through Christianity, it became imbued with spiritual grace, and now, here it is again, stripped of religious overtone, but potent with the primal power of maternal care. The image stirs deep, perhaps subconscious memories. The water itself, a symbol of both life and danger, reflects our own uncertain journeys into the unknown. This is no mere genre scene; it’s a touchstone, a visual chord struck deep within our shared human experience. The cyclical nature of life, ever resurfacing.