Udkast til "Kristus velsigner de små børn" 1937 - 1938

This is Niels Larsen Stevns' Udkast til "Kristus velsigner de små børn", a drawing, probably from the late 19th or early 20th century. It is just a sketch but it gives me so much pleasure! I love the immediacy and directness of the marks. The drawing captures the feeling of the scene, rather than a literal representation. This is all about the process of making, the texture of the paper, and the way the ink sits on its surface. See how certain lines are bolder than others? The artist is thinking aloud, and letting the marks speak for themselves. I'm reminded of other artists like Guston, who embraced a similarly raw and expressive style. It’s like Larsen Stevns is saying, "Here's an idea, in all its messy, imperfect glory." It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, a way of exploring and questioning the world around us.