Studie af grib, set bagfra 1864 - 1941

Curator: We are looking at "Study of a Griffon, Seen From Behind" by Niels Larsen Stevns, created sometime between 1864 and 1941. It's a pencil drawing on paper currently held here at the SMK. Editor: It has such energy, despite being a sketch! The immediacy of the lines really captures a sense of movement; you can almost feel the bird taking flight, wings outstretched. Curator: Exactly. Look closely at the pencil work – the variations in line weight and the areas of shading. It’s not just a representation of a griffin, it's a study in form. You see the musculature suggested through the layering and direction of the lines. It feels very structural, in its way. Editor: I'm also considering the labor that went into producing the drawing, not only by Niels Larsen Stevns, but also the pencil maker and the paper mill workers involved in making the medium itself. What do we know of how Niels Larson Stevns acquired these materials? Curator: It is definitely essential to look at the whole structure. Focusing on the form here can, however, give us valuable information. Considering how the image's design interacts with its structure in the form. We understand it’s a quick sketch. But what purpose was that material serving for the artist? The rapid execution also gives this feeling. Editor: Perhaps this was also the process, or rather his attempt to master a creature's form in flight? It can give valuable insight into Stevns' art education and its values. Curator: Very much! Thinking more of form. What are the qualities within this artistic structure. Thinking less about paper, and pencil, which also matter and the history. More the raw execution, expression in action and its context for Stevns and his work. The piece is quite a study on its own. Editor: I find it enriching to see how many layers were within that drawing. Curator: Truly. And what an enlightening experience to explore them with you!