Blank 1864 - 1941

Niels Larsen Stevns made this blank book, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century, and it’s just that: a blank book! It’s interesting, right? The color is that of old paper, aged and delicate. The marks here aren't really put there by an artist but by time. And those stains, those tiny spots, they feel almost like an abstract expressionist painting, don’t they? The surface is soft, worn down, inviting you to touch it, to leaf through it, to imagine the stories that could be written on these pages. I’m reminded of Agnes Martin's subtle grids, so quiet, yet brimming with potential. And maybe that's what Stevns is getting at; the potential of a blank page. It invites us to consider the endless possibilities within a simple, unassuming object. Art is all about starting points.