Studie af ornament og æsel 1919

Curator: Oh, this gives me a glimpse into the artist’s private world, his playful and inquisitive mind in action! Editor: Indeed, it’s interesting, isn’t it? This is “Studie af ornament og æsel,” or “Study of Ornament and Donkey” by Niels Larsen Stevns, created in 1919. The artwork, a drawing using pencil on paper, offers an insight into Stevns’ process and possible reference materials. It’s currently held here at the SMK, Statens Museum for Kunst. Curator: An ornament and a donkey, side by side! The contrast is wonderful. There’s an almost immediate feeling of gentle humor—the donkey seems so... relaxed, and the ornament beside it like some majestic thing is so comically upright and orderly. Editor: I find the pairing quite evocative. Stevns, throughout his career, returned to these studies of ancient motifs; perhaps the donkey represented a contemporary, more grounded reality, one juxtaposed with historical forms, creating a tension between past and present, nature and design. It may even mirror the socio-political turmoil of the early 20th century, that time of immense transformation in Europe. Curator: Maybe! Or maybe Stevns saw beauty in the mundane, worthy to be put alongside the artistic and ancient— elevating the donkey to the same level as ornament, breaking hierarchies. The lines, so spontaneously rendered, hint at the movement in the donkey contrasted by the deliberate form of the decorative piece. I am interested, what if, in placing them side by side, Stevns wanted to suggest something about artistic labor, perhaps, or about the role of art itself? Editor: Those lines indeed possess an energy. Stevns captures so much with so little, revealing a deeply confident hand at work. And I like the idea of "breaking hierarchies", it reflects broader modernist attitudes questioning traditional structures and canons. Curator: Absolutely, and there's also something very accessible and refreshing about this drawing, its simplicity has staying power. Editor: Agreed! Well, what a unique dialogue, spanning humor, historical commentary and perhaps artistic manifestos—a testament to the power of simple observation and the fascinating juxtaposition. Curator: A thought-provoking piece for sure. It reminds me to embrace my curiosities!