Landskabsskitse 1930 - 1936

Niels Larsen Stevns made this landscape sketch with graphite on paper sometime between 1880 and 1941. It’s not clear whether this study of clumps of grass was made in preparation for a larger painting, but the repetition of the motif gives us some insight into the institutional context of art education in Denmark at this time. In the late 19th century, there was a renewed emphasis on direct observation and plein air painting, or painting outdoors. Artists were encouraged to study nature closely and to develop their skills in capturing its essence. This sketch reflects that approach, with its focus on the details of the natural world. We might see the grid lines in the paper as a reference to the increasingly scientific approach to the study of nature at this time. By consulting the artist's journals and letters, or the records of the art academies he attended, we can gain a richer understanding of the cultural values that shaped this image.