Artwork
Madonna
Madonna is an ink print by Anders Zorn. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Anders Zorn’s 1900 work titled Madonna is an etching on laid paper, presenting a monochrome image of a woman cradling an infant. The composition is rendered in stark black and white, emphasizing line and texture over colour.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is identified as the Virgin Mary, a traditional religious subject, depicted in a modest, unadorned manner. The mother’s hair is gathered back and she wears a simple, loose coat, suggesting humility and intimacy with the child.
Technique & Style
Zorn employed a deep-etching method, forcing ink into the incised lines of the copper plate to produce thick, rough strokes. The resulting texture gives the image a tactile quality, with scratchy, vigorous lines that convey immediacy.
History & Provenance
Created at the turn of the twentieth century, the print reflects Zorn’s occasional forays into religious themes. It was produced as a limited edition print on laid paper, a common support for fine art etchings of the period.
Context
The work belongs to a broader tradition of devotional prints, where artists used the reproducible nature of etching to disseminate religious imagery. Zorn’s approach combines his skill in portraiture with the stark simplicity of graphic media.
Artist & collection
Artist
Anders Leonard Zorn was born in February 1860 in Mora, Dalarna, the illegitimate son of a Bavarian brewer and a Swedish farmer's daughter; his mother died shortly after his birth, and his grandparents raised him.
