Studier af krukker, samt er notat 1906

Niels Larsen Stevns made these studies of pitchers, pots, and vases in a simple notebook, probably using a graphite pencil. There are many pots here, a whole world of them, floating in the warm, tan-colored space of the page. Some look like quick notations; others are more developed, with curved lines describing light and shadow. When I look at this page, I see Stevns trying out different possibilities, pushing and pulling the shapes, and feeling his way through the forms, the way they catch the light, the way they sit on a table. I imagine him turning the pot to get a better view, squinting his eyes to capture its essence. I can feel his curiosity, and that makes me curious. Sketchbooks like this remind me that art is always a process, a journey of discovery. It also reminds me of other artists who draw from observation, like Morandi, for instance. It's a conversation across time, each artist learning from and building upon the other's work, informing their creative vision.