I already wrote about Anders Zorn (1860-1920) twice (here and here). But there's seldom enough of a good thing, so I'm posting once more on the Swedish master (Wikipedia entry here and a site with many of his works here).

This time, I focus on his watercolors. Even though I took a watercolor class in art school, I maintain a phobia regarding that medium. Not for decently done watercolor paintings, mind you, but for actually having to paint one of the things. There is little else in art that I find so terrifying.

As it happened, Zorn began his career as a watercolorist, and naturally was excellent at it. Viewing some of his watercolors -- especially in reproduction -- they often look more like oil paintings. Perhaps one reason for this is that he sometimes painted thickly (not using much water) or perhaps did some areas in gouache, a different water-based paint. Other works were entirely in gouache, which handles more like oil paint than ordinary watercolors.

Below are examples of Zorn's water-based work.

Gallery

[Image]Castles in the Air - 1885

[Image]Kaijroddare - 1886

[Image]The Thorn Bush - 1886

[Image]Man and Boy in Algiers - 1887

[Image]Vogskvalp (Lapping Waves) - 1887

[Image]Reveil, boulevard Clichy - 1892