The Visionary of Modernism: The Life of Karl Isakson Born into the humble and often difficult surroundings of Stockholm in 1878, Karl Isakson possessed a spirit that refused to be confined by the hardships of his youth. Raised by a mother who labored tirelessly running a laundry, the young Isakson found his first sanctuary within the lines of a sketchbook. While surrounded by the heavy scent of steam and piles of linen, he began to draw, creating a private world of imagination that would eventually lead him far beyond the borders of Sweden. His early intellect earned him the nickname "the li…