Studie af fugl med udbredte vinger 1864 - 1941

Niels Larsen Stevns made this study of a bird with outstretched wings, likely in pencil, to capture a fleeting observation. Look at the quick, light marks; they don't describe the bird so much as give you the feeling of the motion of its wings. It's like the art is taking off. The texture of the paper catches the light, making the marks shimmer. The artist isn't trying to trick us into thinking it's a real bird. Instead, it is about the push and pull of the marks themselves, and that one simple but beautiful gesture. The lines, so spare, so tentative, capture this amazing creature. It reminds me of some of Cy Twombly's drawings, where it's more about the energy and rhythm of the line than a perfect picture. There's a generosity in that kind of looking and drawing; Stevns invites us to participate in the act of seeing and imagining a bird in flight.