Anders Zorn

Fritzes Kungliga, Stockholm
Captain Sten Dehlgren, Stockholm
Ivar Kreuger (his sale: Stockholm, Svensk-Franska Konstgalleriet, 1932, lot 13)
Sale: Bukowskis, Stockholm, 1934, lot 66
Henrik Karlström, Jönköping
Hervor Kumlin (by 1957 until at least 1969)
Sale: Christie's, London, 24 March 1988, lot 269
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Gerda Boethius, Zorn, Människan och Konstnären, Stockholm, 1959, pp. 139-141, pl. 356

The canvas has not been lined and has been securely attached to a keyed wooden stretcher. Some pinhead-sized nail holes are visible along the upper framing edge, mostly covered by the frame. There is one light scuff in the sky in the centre of the upper edge; however, this is only visible upon close inspection. Ultra-violet light reveals no visible sign of restoration. This work is in good original condition and ready to hang. Presented in a decorative gilt frame. Colours are somewhat softer and less red in reality than in the catalogue illustration.
"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."

Painted en plein air in the archipelago outside Stockholm (grains of sand are detectable in the paint's surface) where Zorn summered annually, On the Beach epitomises the gusto and vitality with which Zorn repeatedly depicted the nude in the landscape. As Gerda Boethius writes of the present composition, 'the sand and greyish-violet and brown vegetation, the rich emerald green scrub, intermittent clear white patches, and the grey-blue surface of the water, all combine to create a splendid harmony.' (Boethius, op. cit.)

Aside from the colouristic harmonies, the cursory yet rigorous modelling of the nude imbues her with sculptural qualities, testifying to Zorn's strong feeling for the solidity of forms. Indeed his work as a sculptor gradually led to an evolution towards an increasingly sculptural conception of the human body in his paintings. As Boethius points out, Zorn made a bronze sculpture of a girl stretched out, in a similarly unusual and somewhat contrived pose.

The son of a Swedish brewery maid and a German master-brewer, Anders Zorn fought his way in the art world and became a successful artist with a fashionable clientele in both Europe and America. Yet, despite his international fame, he never lost sight of his humble origins. In fact, he promoted local traditions from his native Mora and Sweden more widely both culturally and economically, and enjoyed spending time amongst farmers and common people to the point that one of his wife’s relatives once described him as 'a hybrid between a gentleman and a farmer.'

Zorn's reputation is currently enjoying well-earned critical reassessment thanks to international retrospectives of his work, including the one currently showing at the Petit Palais in Paris.