Studier af ørn 1864 - 1941

Curator: Here we have "Studies of Eagles" by Niels Larsen Stevns, created sometime between 1864 and 1941. It’s a pencil drawing on paper, currently held at the SMK – the National Gallery of Denmark. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by the artist’s apparent freedom in his sketching, which creates a palpable sense of movement. The use of hatching around the top-most eagle gives it a real three-dimensionality. Curator: Stevns really seems captivated by the eagle's symbolism. Across cultures and centuries, the eagle is synonymous with power, vision, and freedom, isn't it? And by choosing the eagle, what associations was Stevns drawing on at a period when the concept of national identity was being debated and reformed across Europe? Editor: It's not just symbolism; consider how Stevns uses the repetition of line to denote plumage and structure. The swiftness of line speaks volumes about his process, how quickly the idea was brought to the page. Look, too, at the different levels of detail – some sections, particularly the claws, are well-defined, while others are looser. Curator: And claws, of course, often represent the raw, untamed aspects of the natural world – strength, independence. In the Northern imaginary, they can be both symbols of royalty, power and protection – and violent expansion. Was Stevns depicting a benevolent figure, or something darker? Editor: Interesting that you say 'darker.' The overall impression I get is far from foreboding. Note how light and spacious the page seems despite its layers of hatching. He leaves sections unfinished, or barely defined. Curator: I'm thinking also about cultural memory. The visual language of ornithology as science was really being formed during the time that Stevns was working, so what meanings were transferred across time from popular imagery to the pages of textbooks? Editor: Ultimately, Stevns captures an eagle in multiple iterations. And the act of doing so illuminates the inherent duality between representation and artistic creation. Curator: By documenting, rather than simply depicting. Thank you. I'll remember to bring binoculars next time I'm here!