Blank 1933 - 1934

Niels Larsen Stevns made this blank page, one of many in a sketchbook, at an unknown date. Its presence in Denmark’s National Gallery raises many questions about what constitutes art. Why did the institution preserve it? The museum context gives this blank page a specific meaning. Its lines invite us to fill it with meaning, to consider it as a space for art. Perhaps Stevns created it as a study, or was it merely a place for jotting down quick thoughts. It challenges the traditional idea of the artist as a skilled creator of images. It is important to remember that the modern museum emerged as a space of civic education and national identity formation. An artwork that is in essence an invitation to create may break down the hierarchy between the institution and the public. To fully understand this work, we require access to archival materials, artists' letters, and exhibition histories to interpret this blank page and consider its place within the broader cultural landscape of its time.