Studier af småfugle 1864 - 1941

Curator: What strikes me most about Niels Larsen Stevns’s “Studies of Small Birds” is the incredible sense of freedom in these quick sketches. They remind me of old notebooks I used to use when learning to draw. Editor: It does give off a playful air, doesn’t it? There’s something about the tentative quality of pencil on paper, the unfinished nature. Tell me, what’s the story behind these sketchbook leaves created by Niels Larsen Stevns and now housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst? Curator: These drawings date somewhere between 1864 and 1941, a generous range spanning Stevns’s entire artistic life. We can observe what seem like pure observations, a devotion to capturing the immediate impressions of small avian creatures in motion, likely a tool for the painter to inform larger pieces later on. They capture not just form, but also the ephemeral spirit of birds in flight. Editor: Agreed. Structurally, look at the composition, or perhaps better stated, the seemingly lack of deliberate arrangement. The strokes feel exploratory, like the artist is building form bit by bit, layer by layer, discovering as he goes. See the rough layout? One can practically feel the artist circling his subject. Curator: And this repetition echoes deeper ideas: of nature observed closely, nature as both symbol and substance, and perhaps, in a quieter sense, humanity’s fascination with these creatures. Consider, birds often represent freedom and transition; in folklore, they carry souls and foretell the future. So, is this simply a study, or a portal into deeper reflection? Editor: Perhaps it's both. Art doesn't have to be either/or. Technically speaking, look how effectively Stevns achieves the illusion of volume and form with the simplest means, only using faint pencil and coloured pencil, yet capturing the essence. One finds great dynamism in the varied orientations of the birds, suggesting that their spirit cannot be held in one singular arrangement. Curator: Exactly. By observing such subtle motions and rendering them so delicately, he invites the viewer to consider both the beauty of the everyday and our relationship with these symbolic messengers. Editor: It reminds us that complex, impactful meaning and expression is always found at the nexus of keen perception and fundamental art. It all exists, so it depends on the moment when you’re invited to experience the work.