Kopier efter oldkristne mosaikker, samt notater 1902 - 1905

Niels Larsen Stevns made this study of old Christian mosaics, and some notes, at no known date, on a small piece of paper with pencil and watercolour. I can imagine Niels hunched over, squinting at the original mosaics, his brow furrowed in concentration. He’s trying to capture the essence of these ancient works, not just their appearance but their spirit. Look at how he's scratched the architectural elements at the top with such tentative lines. There's a real sense of searching, as if he's trying to understand the underlying structure of the original mosaics. Then, lower down, he's created this small round mosaic. I love the way the colours glow. The figures almost seem to huddle together. You can sense him wrestling with the weight of tradition, trying to find his own voice within it. It reminds me of my own work, grappling with the history of painting while trying to push it in new directions. We’re all standing on the shoulders of giants, trying to see a little further.