Zorn

In 1893, Swedish painter Anders Zorn (1860–1920) was at the pinnacle of his career. He was invited to the Chicago World’s Fair and became a darling portraitist to well-heeled Americans. While in New York, he met Emilie Bartlett, the wife of a sculptor and they began a passionate affair. Zorn’s wife Emma had always tolerated his frivolous dalliances with his models at their home in Sweden’s Mora. But when the artist brings Emilie back to live there, his wife is deeply unsettled … This lavish biopic, which showcases many of the artist’s works, takes the audience behind the façade of the superstar painter. It reveals him as a man of excesses and personal drama, even if not every moment is historically accurate. Chief among the films strengths is undoubtedly the presence of Liv Ullmann, who was praised by critics for her nuanced portrayal of the deceived and stricken wife. “There are flashes of rage, bitterness, envy, and lust” wrote Björn Fremer (Dagens Nyheter, 1994).