Studie af korsarm på Egebjerg-krucifixet. Firpasset viser ørnen, Johannes' evangelistsymbol. Notater vedr. mål og farver 1919

Niels Larsen Stevns made this sketch of a crucifix in preparation for a larger work, using pencil on paper. It depicts the arm of the Egebjerg crucifix, specifically the quatrefoil showing the eagle, symbol of the evangelist John. What I find compelling here is the way the artist uses the immediacy of drawing to work through the design and to capture the textural qualities of wood carving. You can see in his lines a translation of volume, weight, and form into two dimensions, mapping the object's qualities onto the page with specific notation regarding measurements and color. Stevns engages with traditions of fine art, craft, and religious artifact, but the drawing also reminds us of the labor, and the multiple stages involved in the production of art. This glimpse into the artist's process, using such a simple medium, invites us to consider the social and cultural significance imbued in the final carved object. It challenges the separation of fine art and craft, showing how materials and making intertwine to shape meaning.