Skitser af søjler med buster og gravsten, samt notat 1906

This is a page of sketches by Niels Larsen Stevns, made with graphite on paper, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. It’s raw and immediate – you can feel the artist thinking through his pencil, exploring different ideas and forms. The texture of the paper, with its grid lines showing through the drawing, adds another layer of depth. It reminds me that artmaking is about more than just the final image; it's about the process, the materials, and the artist's interaction with them. Look at the column on the right, the way Stevns returns to the base, again and again, trying to capture the depth of its ornamentation. It's almost like he's wrestling with the image, trying to bring it to life through the act of drawing. Stevns's loose style reminds me of Philip Guston. Both artists embrace imperfection and spontaneity. The unfinished quality of the sketches invites us to participate in the creative process, to imagine the possibilities and fill in the gaps ourselves.