Fugleskitser 1900 - 1904

Niels Larsen Stevns made these bird sketches with a pencil on paper. You know, the beautiful thing about sketches is that they show you the artist's thought process right there on the page. It's like you're looking over their shoulder as they figure things out. Here, you can almost feel Stevns' hand moving quickly, trying to capture the fleeting movement of these birds in flight. The lines are so simple, almost childlike, but they perfectly convey the essence of each bird. It's really about gesture and speed, and the texture of the paper is left visible, almost like it’s a part of the composition. These sketches remind me of Cy Twombly's work, in the way they capture the raw energy of a moment. And like Twombly, Stevns isn't afraid to leave things unfinished. He understands that sometimes the most powerful art is the art that leaves room for the viewer's imagination.