H. C. Andersens højre arm. Skitse til "Engen ved Nysø" (Odense) 1930 - 1936

Curator: This pen and pencil sketch, entitled "H. C. Andersens højre arm. Skitse til "Engen ved Nysø" (Odense)", was created by Niels Larsen Stevns between 1930 and 1936 and currently resides at the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: There’s a certain nervous energy to it. The hand is clearly defined, but the rest dissolves into abstract forms. It's almost as if the artist is capturing a fleeting idea rather than a solid scene. Curator: It’s quite literally that. It’s a preliminary sketch, specifically for the statue ‘The Meadow by Nysø’, that would eventually stand as a tribute to Hans Christian Andersen. You’re seeing the artist working out how Andersen's arm might relate to the landscape around him. We must consider its historical and memorial implications as well. Editor: And it makes me think about the labour involved in large-scale sculpture. You've got the physical work, yes, but also all the preparatory stages—sketches, models, the back and forth—before any bronze is even cast. I wonder what paper Stevns used, and the specific pencils employed. Curator: True, and the choice of the arm, that instrument of writing, connects directly to Andersen's creative process, a gesture that becomes a monument. A monument in Odense—a public-facing celebration. Editor: But it's not just a straightforward glorification, is it? Look at how raw and immediate the sketch is. We see the messy marks, the visible process of making and undoing decisions, that offer a fascinating peek into artistic craftsmanship and how public icons are constructed through very material, hands-on methods. Curator: Absolutely, we observe the evolution of public art. The sketch exists to celebrate the power of art in society while reminding us that art does not simply appear; rather it is often a laborious creation. It reflects art's broader influence and commemorative roles. Editor: Seeing the raw lines gives it that sense of human effort, more generally. Almost like a piece of writing can itself embody the traces of thought and hand movements. Curator: This sketch really gives one pause, doesn’t it, when you see its journey through time, a mere notation turned to monumental remembrance. Editor: Agreed. It reveals the making of, not just an artwork, but a symbol that engages us even today.