Forest Picture 1941

Niels Larsen Stevns painted this "Forest Picture," with visible brushstrokes and a colour palette leaning heavily on greens, purples and yellows. Looking closely, you can almost feel the physicality of the paint. It's not blended smooth; instead, Stevns layers strokes of colour to build form, almost like putting together a puzzle. The texture isn't just visual, it's like the painting itself is a landscape. Notice the way the light filters through the trees, created with these dashes of yellow and green. The painting isn't trying to trick you into thinking you're *really* in a forest. It embraces the medium, showing you how paint can *become* a forest. And I’m thinking of Van Gogh when I see this, that same energy and willingness to let the brushstrokes do the talking. It shows you that art isn't about answers, it's about the ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas.