H. C. Andersens højre og venstre arm. Skitser til "Engen ved Nysø" 1930 - 1936

Niels Larsen Stevns made this sketch of hands for his painting "Engen ved Nysø" with pencil on paper. Look at the top hand – see how the shading is built up with tiny, energetic strokes? It reminds me that drawing, like painting, is about layering and process. It's not just about capturing a likeness, but about the act of searching, of building form through repeated gestures. The lines are searching, feeling for the form. The lower hand, overflowing with flowers, is more chaotic, more open. It suggests generosity, abundance – but also a kind of uncontrolled energy. A bit like the drawings of Philip Guston, Larsen Stevns’ hand is never concealed. It’s all there on the surface. What do you see? What do you feel?