06.10.2025
Anders Zorn was one of the most successful and well-known artists in the world in the 19th century – and, unlike contemporaries like Vincent van Gogh, earned a fortune during his lifetime. Today, he is almost forgotten in some countries, but the Hamburger Kunsthalle is now bringing the Swedish superstar back into the spotlight.
Zorn traveled extensively and left behind a diverse creation. He painted the Alhambra in Spain, portrayed several presidents in the USA, and captured the harbor of Hamburg in typical northern German foul weather. He became particularly famous for his masterful use of watercolors, which he used to create atmospheric, realistic, and authentic water surfaces and light reflections. But he also excelled in oil painting, and his etchings are among the most impressive of the late 19th century.
We have created an audio tour for adults in German and English for the exhibition. There is also a children's tour for 8 to 12 year-olds, narrated as a dialogue between two friends who curiously explore the exhibition together.
Thus, Anders Zorn's art comes alive for all generations – a superstar, almost forgotten outside of Sweden, is rediscovered.
We wish all visitors a lot of fun!
Photos:
The Church Bay near Lidingö, 1883, watercolor and gouache, © Zornmuseet, Mora
Midnight, 1891, oil on canvas, © Zornmuseet, Mora
Emma Zorn Reading, 1887, oil on canvas, © Zornmuseet, Mora
Hamburg Harbor, 1891, watercolor on paper, © Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, Photo: Cecilia Heisser
Outdoors, 1890, oil on canvas, © Photo: Finnish National Gallery / Hannu Aaltonen
Teaser image: Summer Holiday, 1886, watercolor, Photo: Hans Thorwid