Modelstudie. Skitse til Slagelse-fresken "Den barmhjertige Samaritan 1930 - 1936

Editor: Here we have Niels Larsen Stevns’ "Modelstudie. Skitse til Slagelse-fresken 'Den barmhjertige Samaritan’,” made between 1930 and 1936 using pen and ink. It feels like such a quick study, raw even, and I am intrigued by how economical the linework is. What do you see in it, structurally? Curator: Precisely, the economy of line is critical. Note how Stevns employs hatching to denote shadow and volume. The repeated, parallel strokes define form, rather than describing surface detail. Also, observe the rhythmic quality of the lines, how they create a sense of movement and energy despite the figure being at rest, perhaps suggesting a preparatory stage, capturing the dynamism to be implemented into the final piece. How might you characterize the relationship between line weight and spatial depth? Editor: I see the heavier, darker lines as grounding the figure, bringing it forward, while the lighter lines suggest areas that recede. It's a clever way to imply depth with so few marks. Curator: Indeed. Moreover, consider the formal relationship between the depicted subject and the overall composition. The figure occupies the majority of the pictorial space, yet it is cropped and seemingly floating, giving it an abstract feel. This creates tension between representation and abstraction, figure and ground. Also, there seems to be writing sketched behind it; does it play any compositional role? Editor: Now that you mention it, that scribble gives the whole drawing movement and texture! And knowing that this study became part of a large fresco does help me see it as less about the single figure and more about how that figure relates to the composition as a whole. Curator: It is through careful consideration of elements such as line, composition, and spatial relationships that we come to appreciate the formal sophistication, while its role in the larger fresco can bring us insight as well. Editor: I can see that now. Focusing on the internal relationships reveals a lot about what makes this seemingly simple sketch interesting and valuable. Thank you.