Girls from Dalarna Having a Bath 1906

Anders Zorn painted "Girls from Dalarna Having a Bath" with oil on canvas, capturing an intimate scene with a loose, confident touch. The colours are earthy and warm, mostly muted tones punctuated by the odd splash of red. I love how Zorn isn't afraid to let the process show. Look closely, and you can see the energy of each brushstroke, the way he builds up form with layers of transparent washes and opaque daubs of paint. It’s like watching a dance between observation and invention. I’m drawn to the way he renders the figures, not with hard lines, but with suggestive marks. Those strokes describing the curve of a back or the turn of a head, these are full of feeling. Zorn reminds me a little of Manet in his ability to balance realism with painterly abstraction. Both artists challenge our expectations of finish, inviting us to participate in the act of seeing. Art isn't about providing answers but raising questions.