Anders Zorn

Siri Aschberg, Stockholm
Sale: Bukowskis, Stockholm, 27 November 1996, lot 199
Purchased by the present owner at the above sale

Stockholm, Nationalmuseum, Zornutställningen, 1960, no. 25

Gerda Böthius, Anders Zorn, Stockholm, 1954, p. 39, discussed

Original canvas. There are a few scattered minor spots of retouching, notably a vertical line to the left arm of the female figure, and a small spot below the wrist of the boy. Apart from localised lines of paint shrinkage, concentrated in the brown and black pigments on the left half of the composition, with a few lines to the female figure's cream hat, and some spots of paint loss to a spot at the centre of the extreme right edge and two small areas at the lower right corner, this work is in good condition, with rich tones and areas of strong impasto. Held in a decorative, muted gold-painted moulded plaster and wood frame.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Described by Zorn's biographer Gerda Böthius as 'one of Zorn's best Paris portraits', Mrs Weguelin med son shows Zorn at the height of his powers as a society portraitist, imbued with a quiet confidence and tender recognition of individuality. Zorn uses a soft, earth-toned palette dominated by shades of brown and grey, punctuated by a few flashes of white, delicate rose and vert-de-gris. While the faces of the figures are tenderly depicted in careful detail, Zorn's virtuoso brushwork rapidly sketches Mrs Weguelin and her son's garments and accessories within an elegant, and notably natural, interior.

The year 1889 was a successful one for Zorn, during which he established his place at the forefront of the Parisian art world. He was awarded the French Legion of Honour, and his famous portraits of that year included that of the French actor Cocquelin Cadet, reminiscent of the present work through its expressive brushstrokes, earthy palette and sensitive portrayal of individual character (fig. 1).

FIG. 1, Anders Zorn, Coquelin Cadet, 1889, Nationalmuseum, Sweden