Skitseblad med 6 skitser til "Den grimme ælling" 1928

Here we see Fritz Syberg's pencil sketches for "The Ugly Duckling," now held at the SMK. These aren't finished drawings, more like a collection of thoughts jotted down, a visual brainstorm, if you will. Look closely at the marks, so delicate and vulnerable. See how Syberg uses these tiny, tentative lines to suggest form and space. The way the pencil catches on the paper, creating this gentle texture. It's all about the process, the act of searching and finding. Notice in the lower center sketch, how the water is scribbled, almost nervously, reflecting bare winter trees. Each of the six thumbnails have unique qualities, but this one feels particularly evocative of the story's themes of isolation and reflection. This reminds me of Guston's late work, where he embraced this kind of raw, unpolished mark-making, reminding us that art is not about perfection, but about the messy, beautiful process of trying to make sense of the world.