Skitse af romersk soldat 1905 - 1907

This sketch of a Roman soldier was made by Niels Larsen Stevns, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. Look at the bold, confident strokes of black ink which delineate the figure on the page. It seems to be shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I can only imagine what Stevns was thinking when he made this sketch. Was he interested in the power of the Roman Empire, or the vulnerability of the individual soldier? There's something both rigid and fluid about the marks he has made, the soldier’s spear is upright and unmoving, yet the sketch lines give the impression of movement. Stevns was part of a community of artists, each with different approaches to the process of image making, each conversing and exchanging ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. This drawing offers a glimpse into the artist’s mind, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, and allowing for multiple interpretations.