Figur- og plantestudier 1906 - 1910

Niels Larsen Stevns made this study of figures and plants with pencil on paper. It's a humble sketch, an unassuming piece of paper, but the more you look, the more it gives. The marks are applied with an open, searching quality; lines are repeated and redrawn, as if Stevns is trying to capture the essence of his subject through the very act of looking. The texture of the paper is visible beneath the graphite, and you can almost feel the movement of the artist's hand as he worked. I keep thinking that mark-making is about so much more than technical skill, it's about the energy and presence we bring to the process. Look at the flower in the top right! I love the way the petals radiate outwards, and the way the shading creates a sense of depth. This drawing reminds me of Matisse's line drawings, with their emphasis on simplicity and directness. It’s like Stevns is having a conversation with the history of art, riffing on old themes, and finding new ways to express himself. Art is a reminder that ambiguity and uncertainty can be sources of strength, inviting us to embrace the unknown and find our own meaning in the world.