Studier af forskellige fuglearter 1864 - 1941

Niels Larsen Stevns made this drawing, Studies of different bird species, with graphite on paper. Look at these tentative lines, the searching quality of the marks, like the artist is thinking through his hand! I can imagine him, sketchbook in tow, trying to capture the fleeting essence of birds in flight. It reminds me of my own studio practice, where the act of drawing or painting becomes a form of inquiry, a way of understanding the world through the filter of perception and mark-making. I wonder, was he trying to get to the bottom of something, too? The lightness of touch and the repetition of motifs suggest a playful exploration of form and movement. You know, there is a conversation here about the relation between drawing and painting, between observation and invention. This work captures the dialogue that artists have across time, inspiring creativity.