Skitser af en buste 1904

Niels Larsen Stevns made this drawing of busts, with brown washes and pen. It looks like a quick study on a small piece of paper. I imagine Stevns, his mind racing with ideas. He's trying to figure out how to represent the essence of a bust in just a few strokes. See how the lines are so expressive? They give the impression of volume and texture. The brown wash adds depth, making the busts feel almost tangible. He is simplifying the forms, getting down to the basic shapes. I wonder, was he thinking of ancient sculptures? Maybe he was trying to capture a sense of timelessness. Artists are always in conversation with each other. Stevns is adding his voice to the mix. Painting is an embodied form of expression. There is no one interpretation.