Skitser af fugle 1900 - 1904

This is a page of bird sketches by Niels Larsen Stevns. It's just pencil on paper, but it's more than just some throwaway drawing; you can see the artist working through ideas. What I like about these sketches is the variety of marks. Look at the way the lines are sometimes thick and dark, sometimes just barely there. Some birds are more finished than others; they're like thoughts in different stages of formation. See the bird, third from the left? The lines extend beyond its body. It's like he's looking for the essence of birdness, trying to nail it down. It reminds me of work by Picasso, especially his studies, where you can see him thinking through the image. It's art as a process, not just a product, and it invites us to think along with the artist. There are no right answers, only possibilities.