Skitse af fisk 1905 - 1907

Niels Larsen Stevns rendered this sketch of a fish in pencil. Fish, historically, have been potent symbols, often representing abundance, fertility, and transformation across various cultures. Consider the early Christians, who adopted the fish as a symbol of their faith, derived from the Greek word ‘ichthys’. This symbol wasn't merely a label; it was a profound declaration of belief, subtly woven into the fabric of their persecuted community. In ancient mythologies, we see fish associated with deities and creation myths, embodying life emerging from the primordial waters. Looking at Stevns' sketch, one might recall similar motifs in earlier art—perhaps a Roman mosaic or an Egyptian mural. This imagery, laden with symbolic weight, transcends time, resurfacing in different guises. The fish, in its many forms, continues to swim through our collective consciousness, evoking primal connections to life, spirituality, and the ever-churning depths of the human psyche.