Plantestudie 1906 - 1910

Niels Larsen Stevns made this plant study with pen on paper, and what strikes me is the pure and utter joy of mark-making. I can almost feel the scratch of the pen, the artist’s hand moving quickly, impulsively, across the page. The quick strokes that create the leaves are energetic and unlabored. The artist clearly delighted in the plant’s jagged edges and the sharp angles of the leaves. You can see this is a study, a chance to play and explore, to look closely at the veins of a leaf, the way it connects to the stem. It reminds me that art isn't about perfect representation, but about the pleasure of seeing and recording. I think it shows how even the simplest subject can become a source of endless fascination and inspiration. Artworks like this remind us that everything can be art, and the conversation between artists never ends.