Kvindestudie til "Kristus velsigner børnene" (1937-38) 1935

Niels Larsen Stevns made this pencil drawing, “Woman Study for Christ Blessing the Children,” between 1937 and 1938. These sheets offer a glimpse into Stevns's process as he prepared for a larger work. We see him working out the composition, the fall of the drapery, and the gestures of the figures. Made in Denmark during the interwar period, this work reflects the prevalence of Christian motifs in Scandinavian art. The Church played a significant role in Danish society, and artists frequently engaged with religious themes. It's interesting to consider how Stevns, trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, would have been influenced by the institutional emphasis on classical and religious subjects. The image creates meaning through its subtle rendering of light and form, typical of academic training, while it simultaneously tries to represent the sacred nature of maternity. To fully understand this drawing, we might research the role of religious art in Danish national identity and the artistic trends of the time.