Plantestudie 1906 - 1910

This little sketch, Plantestudie, of leaves and stems, was made by Niels Larsen Stevns, likely in a sketchbook. What I love about this is how immediate it feels, like Larsen Stevns was just walking around with his pen, marking things down. Look at the lines, they’re so descriptive, but they don’t fuss too much with detail. The texture of the leaves, that slightly serrated edge, is captured with these quick, broken lines, it's like a visual shorthand. And the way he uses hatching to suggest form and shadow, it's really efficient. The transparency of the ink on the page makes the whole thing feel light and airy. This drawing reminds me a little bit of Matisse’s line drawings, that same simplicity and elegance of form. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art can be found in the everyday, in these little moments of observation and mark-making.