Studie af ørn med delvist og helt udstrakte vinger 1864 - 1941

This drawing of an eagle with partially outstretched wings was made by Niels Larsen Stevns, but we don't know exactly when. Look at the quick, searching lines trying to capture the shape and texture of the feathers. I can almost feel Stevns's hand moving across the page, trying to understand the structure of the wing, the way it catches the light, and how it allows the bird to take flight. You can see he is trying to get to grips with something, trying to feel it out as he goes along. What was it like to stand before the eagle and attempt to capture the essence of its form on paper? I like that the eagle is not fully present on the page: its form drifts off into the margins. It’s as if it's a fragment, a fleeting impression.