Studier af fugl (krage?) 1864 - 1941

Niels Larsen Stevns made these Studies of a Bird, possibly a Crow, using what looks like a graphite pencil on paper. It’s like we’re looking over his shoulder, right into his sketchbook. I love these kinds of drawings. You can feel the artist’s attention, the careful looking, the slight adjustments as he tries to capture the essence of this bird. Is it in flight? Is it resting? What’s it thinking? There’s a beautiful simplicity and directness about it. Just a few lines, but they convey so much. It reminds me of some of the quick sketches Picasso or Matisse would do—economical, confident, and full of life. As artists, we are always looking at each other's work, from across time, in an ongoing conversation. And you know, sometimes a simple drawing can say more than a complicated painting. It’s all about the artist's eye and what they choose to show us.