Udkast til "Vendelboerne vil forsvare Nørresundby mod svenskerne", kvadrering 1932 - 1935

Curator: Niels Larsen Stevns created this intriguing drawing between 1932 and 1935. Titled "Udkast til 'Vendelboerne vil forsvare Nørresundby mod svenskerne', kvadrering," it seems to be a preliminary sketch for a larger work. Editor: My immediate impression is one of organized chaos. The dense clusters of figures seem to be frozen mid-action, a frenetic energy contained within these strokes of ink and coloured pencil. There is something haunting about the muted tones, though. Curator: Indeed, it has a captivating quality. It's worth noting the clear intention behind his utilization of line and form to present conflict as dynamic movement. What I am also keen to highlight, beyond what it depicts, is its invocation of history itself and how defense mechanisms can be ingrained culturally. Editor: It is important to remember that Stevns sketched this preliminary piece during the interwar years. The title specifically suggests ideas related to defense, and in that sense, the work becomes an index of social anxieties. But whose story is being told here, I wonder? How might local narratives about the Nordic wars feed into broader currents of national identity construction? Curator: The figures themselves feel almost archetypal. The quick strokes that create the impression of men and horses serve as symbolic forms for defenders. Even their ambiguity reinforces a certain idea: it is a general archetype, not of individuals in particular. The artist shows the enduring spirit required to protect homelands, across time. Editor: But even the invocation of 'spirit' can become problematic when unscrutinized. Doesn't romanticizing national identity, especially after the horrors of WWI, demand critical questioning of the impulse for unity? Whose unity and at what cost? Curator: Certainly, this sketch provides more questions than concrete answers about the depicted historical battle. These layers of intention ultimately provoke important discussions. Editor: Right. It urges us to think about the relationship between art, history, and ideology—crucial for reflecting upon conflict then, and, unfortunately, even now.