Skitser af dyrekranie 1900 - 1905

This sketch of a skull was made by Niels Larsen Stevns, though we don't know exactly when, using pencil on paper. The artist's hand moved quickly, looping lines over and again, feeling out the form of this animal skull. Look at how Stevns captures light and shadow with these scribbled marks, building up tone and volume with such simple means. I like to imagine what he was thinking as he worked. Was he just interested in the shape? Or was he perhaps thinking about the life and death? The artist gives us just enough information to trigger our imagination. You see a certain kind of line repeated throughout the drawing. It’s like a signature mark. I feel like I recognise it, a bit like seeing an old friend again. You know how it is? We see echoes of artists' styles across time, inspiring each other in unexpected ways. This sketch leaves much open, and invites us to keep looking, keep thinking.