Studier af svaner 1864 - 1941

Curator: This page holds "Studies of Swans" by Niels Larsen Stevns, dated from 1864 to 1941, a humble drawing in pencil on paper held here at the SMK. Editor: My first impression is one of lightness. The sketched lines give these swans an almost ethereal quality. The paper looks aged too. Curator: Yes, these rapid sketches really let us focus on the movement being captured. Thinking about the process and context: the swans themselves, symbols of purity and grace, would have held cultural weight within the burgeoning romantic nationalist art scene of 19th-century Denmark, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Agreed. But the elegance really comes from the structure—note how Stevns simplifies the forms into looping contours and angular intersections. It is as if he reduces the swan to its essence. It reminds me a bit of cubist ideas before their time. Curator: Exactly. Consider the material reality here, though. This isn't a finished painting for a wealthy patron, it is a sketch. The very casualness emphasizes this object's link to labor and utility, it emphasizes the work involved to produce art and is closer to being an art object or document rather than purely representational. It offers a glimpse into the creative journey that would lead to future artwork. Editor: Very interesting take! I see what you mean, the unadorned lines contribute to the purity of form, too, that reminds me of certain elements of classical design. The drawing uses the form of a line that could resemble some letter. There is something incomplete here which pushes this towards further design. Curator: The rawness speaks to the social context of art-making in the 19th century. It hints at the labor behind idealized images of nature, of Romantic expression, which you can appreciate given your art interests. Editor: These incomplete strokes, the contrast between solid line and vacant space gives structure to what can otherwise become chaos and creates an art experience. Overall, the composition seems simple. Curator: And yet, by looking at this object we see the relationship between swans in the context of social production: from labor to the beautiful paintings which eventually get created. Editor: Yes, a fine look into Niels Larsen Stevns use of simple structural line art to capture such forms, allowing the viewer a small glance into his creative vision.