Studie af klippekyst 1900 - 1904

Niels Larsen Stevns created this sketch of a rocky coastline with pencil on paper. The composition is dominated by horizontal lines that form the stratified layers of the cliffs. A sense of depth is established through the layering of these lines. The lines feel tentative, as though the artist were feeling his way across the landscape. The texture of the paper peeks through, adding to the sense of the work as an exploratory study. The sketch destabilizes the traditional, romantic view of landscape by focusing on the structural geology. This shift towards the materiality of the landscape challenges the viewers' expectations, inviting us to consider the environment in terms of its physical composition. The horizon line, a subtle but powerful mark, emphasizes the relationship between land and sea. It encourages an appreciation for the formal qualities of line and their capacity to define and redefine our understanding of space.