Studie af en kvinde med sytøj, samt notater 1906 - 1910

Editor: This is Niels Larsen Stevns's "Studie af en kvinde med sytøj, samt notater", made with pencil around 1906-1910. It's a simple sketch in a notebook, but something about the woman's bowed head feels very intimate. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a layered portrait of labor, both visible and invisible. The woman sewing is depicted in the midst of a traditionally feminized task. However, alongside this image is a series of notes and measurements, hinting at another form of labor: artistic calculation and preparation. How do these seemingly disparate elements inform each other? Editor: That’s a good point. It feels like we’re getting a glimpse into the artist’s process. Maybe he was working on a larger composition that included this woman? Curator: Precisely. This study offers insight into the gendered division of labor at the time, and also how those structures played a part in creative work. The sewing embodies domestic work often relegated to women, while artistic production has historically privileged male perspectives and narratives. Consider, too, how the intimate scale of the sketchbook challenges grand narratives of artistic genius, suggesting a more subtle, everyday practice. Do you find this challenges your initial reading of intimacy? Editor: Absolutely. Seeing the notes reframes it. It's not just about a quiet moment; it's a record of work – both hers and his – intertwined. It makes me wonder about her agency and place in his art making. Curator: Indeed. These notebook pages encourage us to question traditional art historical narratives that might overlook the lives and labor that enable artistic creation. Editor: I never considered it in this light before, this has opened up new interpretations for me. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Looking at art with an eye to labor, identity, and power relations really deepens the experience.