Udkast til bibelsk motiv. Folk i Jarius' hus af ler af Jesus 1864 - 1941

This is a quick sketch in ink by Niels Larsen Stevns, a draft for a biblical scene, maybe from the late 19th or early 20th century. I’m looking at these figures and imagining how the artist, with just a few lines, has captured these bodies and the scene with such immediacy. The sketch feels so raw and urgent. You can sense Stevns working quickly, trying to get the figures down, as they tumble and turn over the page. The loose lines create a sense of movement and energy. It is as if Stevns is grappling with the subject, figuring out the composition, the placement of figures, the overall dynamic. I love this kind of drawing, which shows the artist thinking through the act of making. It’s kind of like a dance, figuring it out as you go along. I think all artists are in conversation, you know, and Stevns’ drawing feels connected to the great history of artists using drawing to explore narrative and the human form.