"Absalon i Kong Valdemars Råd" 1929

Niels Larsen Stevns made "Absalon i Kong Valdemars Råd" with watercolor, but the real trick is in the ink. It’s so fluid and thin, it's almost like he's painting with air. The textures are built up with layers of washes, creating this moody, atmospheric vibe. You can really see the process here. Look how the ink pools and bleeds into the paper, especially in the sky and around the edges of the landscape. It gives the whole scene this sense of transience, like everything's in flux. And the way he's used these dark, almost charcoal-like marks to define the tree. It's so gestural and free, yet it still captures the essence of its form. This reminds me of Whistler or even some of the German Expressionists. You can feel the artist searching, exploring, and letting the medium lead the way.