Studier af ørn 1864 - 1941

This is a page from a sketchbook by Niels Larsen Stevns held at the SMK, featuring a pencil study of an eagle. Observe the composition and the artist’s marks. There's a real sense of dynamism here, captured through these fleeting lines. The eagle's form is only suggested, not concretely defined, allowing its essence to emerge from the negative space. It invites us to consider the relationship between absence and presence in art. We are prompted to think about how an artist, using only minimal strokes, can capture the vitality of a subject. Stevns seems less interested in literal representation and more in the raw energy of the bird. The eagle, a symbol of power and freedom, is here not just observed but also actively re-imagined. This challenges our ideas about the nature of seeing and the act of drawing. This piece ultimately shows how lines can explore, discover, and redefine the boundaries of form itself.