Skitser af et par fiskere i en jolle 1905 - 1907

Curator: This is a page of sketches entitled "Skitser af et par fiskere i en jolle" or "Sketches of a Pair of Fishermen in a Dinghy" by Niels Larsen Stevns, made sometime between 1905 and 1907. The medium is pencil on paper, and it’s currently held here at the SMK. What are your initial impressions? Editor: There’s a raw, almost haunting quality to these studies. The repeated, rapid lines give the fishermen a wraithlike presence, like ghosts on the water. The sketchbook grid adds to this impression – the fisherman are trapped in some space in between life. Curator: Absolutely. Looking closely, the material qualities amplify that effect. The softness of the graphite contrasts with the sharp grid of the paper. We are viewing studies in motion. Note how each sketch isolates figures or partial figures; there are multiple attempts to represent the same individuals, emphasizing labor as they are posed as fishermen in work and repose. Editor: And notice how even in these quick renderings, there's an emphasis on certain symbolic details, such as the oars. Fishing relies so heavily on the strength and skill of the laborers but also a trust that tools, natural or fabricated, can get you safely across the sea. Curator: Very well put. It highlights the intrinsic connection between those fishermen and their livelihood, rendered here with such raw and ephemeral lines. Do you think it challenges more academic work from the era? Editor: Precisely. While portraiture often captures likeness and status, here we see the fleeting reality of the fishermen and the conditions that shape their daily struggle in the natural world. Curator: This piece truly underscores the human effort behind even simple representation and encourages an appreciation for the subjects as well as the methods and materials. Editor: Indeed. It reminds us that every image carries stories beyond its immediate subject matter, especially as these drawings appear not to celebrate their subject matter but just simply observe. A humbling view into an older way of life and the objects associated with it.