Udkast til bibelsk motiv. Den besatte i gerasernes land 1864 - 1941

This is a drawing by Niels Larsen Stevns, made with pencil on paper. Immediately I am drawn to the frenetic energy of the mark making. It's as though the artist is wrestling with form, not trying to capture it. The surface of the paper is busy with lines, a whirlwind of activity. Notice how the artist has gone over certain lines again and again, as if searching for the 'right' one. The lines aren't precious or timid, they're bold and confident, even when they miss their mark. There's a sense of urgency here, a need to get the idea down before it disappears. Look at the way the figures are suggested rather than defined. It's all about movement and emotion. Stevns reminds me of Kathe Kollwitz, both artists grappling with weighty themes in a raw, unvarnished way. Art is often about this kind of struggle, isn't it? It's about embracing the messy process of trying to make sense of the world, rather than presenting a neat, tidy conclusion.