Stendysse i udkanten af skoven. Dyrnæs 1919

Poul S. Christiansen painted this scene of a stone burial chamber at the edge of a forest in 1919, and you can see it's an artwork built from layers. The brushwork gives a real sense of process. It's not trying to hide how it was made. The paint isn't overly thick, but you can see the direction and texture of the brushstrokes, especially in the foreground ferns. There's a kind of rhythmic quality to the way he builds up these repeated marks. Look at that little bird perched on the rock—a tiny daub of color, but it brings the whole scene to life. The colors are muted, mostly earth tones, but then you get a pop of green, just enough to keep things interesting. It reminds me a bit of some of the landscapes by Vilhelm Hammershøi, that same quiet, contemplative mood. But Christiansen feels a bit looser, less concerned with perfect representation. It's a feeling more than a picture, and that's what makes it stick with you.