Udkast til "Kristus velsigner de små børn" 1937 - 1938

Niels Larsen Stevns made this pen and ink drawing as a draft for "Christ Blessing the Little Children." Look at these slashing marks, searching to resolve the image! See how they capture the weight and folds of the robes, the tender gestures between the figures. I imagine the artist hunched over this little sketchbook, working out the composition, the space, the feeling. Squinting, he's trying to envision something bigger than what's in front of him, something monumental, but it starts here, with these tentative strokes. It reminds me how every big painting begins with a small gesture, a leap of faith. How cool is it to witness a painter in the act of working out an idea, unsure of the outcome? You can almost feel his hand moving across the page. We too can be free in our investigations: there’s no right or wrong way to look, just our own personal journey.