Studier af et egern 1896

Niels Larsen Stevns made this pencil drawing, "Studies of a Squirrel", on paper at an unknown date. The work is now located in the SMK, the National Gallery of Denmark. Looking at these sketches, we should consider the rising visibility of animals within the history of Danish art. As Denmark modernized, there was a growth in natural history as a field of study, with new institutions and learned societies being founded around this time. The rise of 'animaliers,' artists that specialize in painting animals, reflects this new appreciation for the natural world and its connection to human society. We might want to think about the politics of looking at nature. Was this work made to study the animal for scientific purposes, or perhaps to better understand its beauty? Understanding the relationship between art, science, and institutions might offer a deeper understanding of the historical context that produced it.