Apostlen yderst t.h.. Judas 1905 - 1907

Editor: So, this is a drawing by Niels Larsen Stevns, done between 1905 and 1907. It's titled *Apostlen yderst t.h.. Judas*, and it seems to be in pencil and maybe some ink. It's currently at the SMK in Copenhagen. There’s a lot of shadow; he almost disappears into it. It gives me this feeling of turmoil, but it's so subtle with those delicate lines. What do you see in this piece, from your perspective? Curator: Oh, turmoil for sure. You feel that weight of the moment, don't you? You know, with a sketch like this, it's as much about what's *not* there as what *is*. I’m thinking about how Stevns, steeped in symbolism as he was, uses the sketch form almost like a whispered secret. This isn't about showing you Judas; it's about giving you a feeling, a *sense* of his internal struggle. The looseness of the line makes it feel like a fleeting moment captured. Almost voyeuristic, don't you think? Editor: Voyeuristic, that’s a great word! It makes me think about how vulnerable he looks despite being shrouded. Curator: Precisely. It’s that inherent contradiction that gives the piece its power. Consider, too, the unfinished quality. Is Stevns inviting us to complete the picture, to wrestle with our own ideas of betrayal and remorse? Art asks you to question yourself! Editor: So it’s less about presenting a definitive Judas and more about prompting us to reflect on the *idea* of Judas. I hadn't really considered it that way before! Thanks, I feel like I can see it, or *feel* it, so much deeper now. Curator: Absolutely! Sometimes the most profound art pieces are those that stir us from the inside out, leaving us not with answers, but with better questions, you know?