Interiørdekoration 1885

This graphite drawing, “Interiørdekoration”, was made by Niels Larsen Stevns, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. The drawing is quickly rendered with graphite, and a simple hatching technique has been used to create tone and shadow. Looking at the process, it is clear that the focus is on the overall composition and capturing the essence of the interior decoration. Stevns uses the material to explore spatial relationships and decorative elements, without getting bogged down in fine details. The ephemeral nature of the sketch is itself very telling, capturing a moment of creative observation. The artist might be seen as a 'worker' sketching to render ideas, like many others, in a society that was increasingly industrialized. By focusing on the materials and making of this work, we can understand the interplay between the artist's vision, the capabilities of the materials, and the cultural context in which it was created.