Anders Zorn (Born 1860) was born in Mora. He was one of the internationally best known artists from Sweden. His fame abroad is founded mostly on his portraiture where he had the ability to capture the personality and the character of the depicted person. His graphic work, where he was among the most talented artists of all times, is well-known. His nude studies are very famous in Sweden, as are his genre pictures depicting mainly working people. Zorn was the son of Anna Grudd Andersdotter; he never met his father who died in 1872 in Helsinki. But he was acknowledged and allowed to carry his father's name. As a young boy Zorn had shown an unusual attention and artistic ability was drawn to the human figures and horses he carved in wood.
The artist was raised by his grandparents, and at the age of twelve, he was sent to a school in Enköping. He entered the Royal Academy of Art in Stockholm at the age of 15. He had planned to become a sculptor but soon he found love in painting. Zorn chose water colors, and this became his main technique until around 1887 - a technique which was rather uncommon at the time. In 1880 at the Student exhibition, he showed the water color "In mourning" (Stockholm), and this propelled him into the art-world. The way he painted the sad young face of a young girl in mourning under the veil, attracted the attention of many. Several members of Stockholm society then turned to him with commissions. His children’s portraits were much appreciated and it was in connection with such a commission that he met Emma Zorn, who was later to become his wife.
