Studier af græsk vase, romanske aquamaniler, dyreskulpturer m.m. 1896

Editor: So, here we have Niels Larsen Stevns’s 1896 drawing, “Studies of a Greek Vase, Romanesque Aquamaniles, Animal Sculptures, etcetera.” It's rendered in pencil and coloured pencil on paper, and the thing that immediately strikes me is its sketchbook quality, that intimate sense of an artist exploring forms. What stands out to you? Curator: It’s true, isn’t it? This drawing feels like a secret glimpse into the artist's mind. These aren’t just copies, are they? Instead they feel like Stevns is in dialogue with history. Consider that humble pencil—a direct link to his hand. He's wrestling with traditions, transforming these relics into something wholly his own. Does it spark a feeling in you - maybe like an actor practicing their lines? Editor: That’s an interesting parallel. Yes, like Stevns is practicing to master a historical form before putting on his own unique stage production. So, the focus is the gesture or study rather than the production of the perfect vessel. Why group all these items together? I would think he could learn the individual forms better if he practiced alone. Curator: Why group them together, indeed? It is true they may learn better alone; in order to paint many things you must see, measure and see again the items being sketched. But putting all these items on a single page - this could signify something entirely new. He is speaking through the entire collective! Does that not provoke in you a desire for all the artist can accomplish and show, much like when someone finds and builds upon your own original art ideas? Editor: I like that you noticed that each element still exists while coexisting in harmony on the same paper, which then creates a deeper story overall. Curator: And suddenly it isn't just an artwork. What’s it whispering to *you* now? Editor: The biggest takeaway for me is that the entire grouping has its own unique quality beyond each object alone. It becomes a collection that invites conversations beyond just a single sketch.