Studier af planter og planteornamentik samt notater 1906 - 1910

Curator: Right in front of us, we have "Studier af planter og planteornamentik samt notater," created by Niels Larsen Stevns between 1906 and 1910. It’s a collection of sketches, mostly in pencil, with some colored pencil accents, on paper. What strikes you initially? Editor: The intimacy of the sketchbook format really pulls me in. It's almost voyeuristic—we’re privy to the artist’s private thought process. There's a quietness to it, a gentle observation of the natural world filtered through an Art Nouveau sensibility. I imagine someone poring over this, seeking solace or inspiration. Curator: Yes, definitely intimate. The sketches range from detailed studies of flowers to more abstract, geometric shapes. Look at how the floral motifs echo each other, creating a kind of visual harmony and establishing a clear symbolic connection. It resonates with the Art Nouveau’s use of natural forms. Editor: It’s that period's attempt to find some harmony within an industrializing society—searching for authentic expression through idealized nature, although inevitably that act becomes part of power structures as well, with some flora being privileged over others, of course. It mirrors anxieties about urban development. I wonder what social changes were influencing Stevns at this moment in Copenhagen. Curator: It is a fascinating dance between meticulous botanical study and decorative ornamentation. It speaks to how artists during this period weren't just representing the natural world, but transforming it into symbolic language, reflecting broader cultural shifts. The very act of choosing particular plants... it reflects cultural ideals and what's being valued and by whom. Editor: I find myself also thinking about the act of archiving inherent in this notebook. This is the capture of memory, knowledge, that itself might be trying to fight back against impermanence. What of today's environmental crises are influencing our need to create art, but to also preserve it. How do these intimate forms speak to wider cultural experiences with social upheaval? Curator: These notes that look to the outside are now framed and held safely within the cultural memory of an institution. The delicate pencil lines serve as enduring records. Thanks for the opportunity to consider that larger historical context. Editor: Thanks, the intersection between internal artistic exploration and those greater themes never ceases to resonate.