After the Bath

Anders Zorn has come to be associated with paintings of nude young women bathing. In his early paintings on this theme, such as After the Bath from 1895, the women seem unaware of the spectator. They are not posing, but are simply captured on canvas while undressing or concentrating on getting out of the water. This spontaneous character is naturally false, and the nudity is a vital element in the painting. Nevertheless, these paintings are not primarily erotic; instead, the emphasis is on the effect of light. The nude body is hazy, to serve as a sculptural shape in the play of light and shadow in the overall composition.