Plantestudier 1906 - 1910

Niels Larsen Stevns made this plant study in pen and ink, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century. It’s a humble little page of studies, so informal and direct—you can almost feel the artist bending over the plant, trying to capture its essence. I imagine Stevns outside with his sketchbook, quickly trying to capture the delicate forms of the leaves before the light changes. Look at the tentative, searching lines. Each one feels like a question, a way of understanding how these leaves reach out into the world. The ink is thin, almost watery, allowing the page to breathe and the forms to float. I can see echoes of Japanese prints, with the emphasis on line and the quiet observation of nature. It reminds me that even the simplest sketches can be full of curiosity and wonder. That’s what painting, what art, should be all about.