Artwork
Precipice
Precipice is an ink print by Anders Zorn. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Anders Zorn’s 1909 etching titled Precipice presents a solitary nude figure poised at the brink of a cliff. Rendered on Van Gelder laid paper, the composition balances the stark silhouette of the woman against the darker, gestural outlines of the surrounding rock and water, creating a scene of quiet contemplation.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure stands with her weight shifted onto a single leg, gazing outward toward the expanse of water below. The pose suggests a moment of introspection, as the viewer is invited to consider the tension between the vulnerability of the nude form and the vast, open landscape that stretches toward the horizon.
Technique & Style
Zorn employed traditional intaglio methods, using fine lines to delineate the cliff and water while allowing the woman's body to emerge through softer, more nuanced shading. The contrast between the expressive, darker strokes of the environment and the delicate rendering of flesh demonstrates Zorn’s command of tonal variation within the etching medium.
History & Provenance
Created in 1909, Precipice is part of Zorn’s later print output, a period when he explored the interplay of figure and landscape. The work is executed on Van Gelder laid paper, a high‑quality substrate favored by the artist for its smooth surface and ability to hold fine detail, though specific ownership records beyond its initial sale remain limited.
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.
