The Washington herald., 1911-11-19
SWEDISH ARTIST
TALKS OF AMERICA
Anders Zorn Says Our Wom-
en- Are Spoiled.
dim co-,,,Dondeut Kansa. City Star.

Stockholm Correspondent Kansas City Star
AnderJ Zorn, the famous painter, cour-
tier, and sportsman, is back again IN
his Scandinavian home after his latest
trip to the United States to paint
President and several millionaires.
His views, as expressed to his Swedish
friends, are more than usually interes-
ing, for he knows the whole range OF
social grades, and though the friend Oh
princes and presidents he Is still at
heart the Dalecarlin peasant without
any snobbery or affectation whatever.
President Taft" says Zorn, lis fat, but
he is intellectual and genial 1t was Col.
Roosevelt who introduced me to him.
while the Big Stickman was boss at
the White House. What their present
relations are 1 don't know. President
Taft was a good sitter and we got along
we'll. 1 used to joke with him and point
out the likeness to other Presidents as
each new stroke of the brush suggested
It. But he never spoke Of Roosevelt
Life in America is generally very su-
perficial The upper ten are recruited
from the self-mades, the parvenues, and
those who are neither. The first are
pretty much alike all over the world
and so, for the matter of that. are
those who have inherited fortunes. Lux
uries are carried to extremes. They live
Incredibly extravagantly. Their con-
slant cry is for pleasure and sensation.
''Of artists, America has many clever
representatives. To mention only one or
two-Winslow Homer, especially IN sea
pieces and figures; Simmons in decorative
motifs, and Cecilia Beaux in portraiture.
International exhibitions Of art have
shown Americans to be- the best and
most vIrile, barring the Swedes.
Female artists? Women can never De
quite independent in such work. They
cannot stand by themselves; they must
have something stronger to lean against.
Wink? Dear me, are you not content
with the statement Of the fact-Women
are women?
The American woman stands on
pedestal and is being spoiled. That Is
not at all to her advantage. 1t makes
her impossible for anything save cam
paigning for female suffrage. But her
type is charming. She Is generally a
blending of the South and North, and
therefore she lacks distinct character
istics. The pure breed is pretty much
like that of Europe"
While in America Zorn was sounded as
to the suffrage question, and that led
him to discuss the many virtues OF the
Swedish woman as sweetheart, wife,
mother, and citizen. Now he adds to
his comment, When the American wom-
an has acquired all those good quail
tiles, as we'll as her own, she may very
we'll enter Congress"
Zorn's plain speech is well known in
, Scandinavia. Once. while painting King
Oscar, with whom he sometimes went
yachting, the monarch, who was some
thing of a poet, asked Zorn whether he
would be disturbed if some original verse
were read to him.
Not at ALL" replied Zorn. Thereupon
the King read some Of his poetry. and
concluded by asking: We'll, what dc
you think of that?'
7 think it is a lot Of rot" replied
Zorn, without hesitation.
But" rtorted the King, lit was
who wrote it.
How could I tell that?" answered
Zorn, without the slightest concern.
Nevertheless, the old King remained one
of his most constant admirers.