Studier af oldkristne motiver, samt notater. Apolonari in Classe 1902 - 1905

Niels Larsen Stevns made this study of early Christian motifs with pencil on paper; we don't know exactly when. The quick marks feel provisional, like the artist is thinking through the motifs on the page. He's capturing architectural details and maybe some figures, all rendered with this beautiful, searching line. I love how the pencil moves so freely, not trying to be perfect, just exploring form and space. The varying pressure of the pencil creates a sense of depth and shadow, even though it's just a sketch. The way the images are spread across the page reminds me of Cy Twombly’s sketchbooks. Both artists seem to be engaged in a similar kind of visual note-taking, where the process of drawing is as important as the subject matter. There's a rawness and immediacy to this work that invites you to participate in the artist's thought process. It’s like catching a glimpse of Stevns’s mind at work.