Studie af gadelygte og gesims 1881

Curator: Let’s discuss Niels Larsen Stevns’s "Studie af gadelygte og gesims," created around 1881. It’s currently housed at the SMK, Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: The mood is instantly clear—understated, fleeting. It's as if we're looking over the artist's shoulder as he quickly sketches a scene. I notice the simple pencil strokes, the raw quality of the paper, that speak to an almost improvisational way of drawing. Curator: I'm immediately struck by how Stevns is engaging with the modernizing cityscape of late 19th century Copenhagen. These gaslights represent progress, the move toward a fully illuminated public sphere, though in a gendered and classed manner. It opens up so many questions about access to public spaces after dark and power relations at the time. Editor: Absolutely, and that connection is compelling. What draws my eye is the almost geometrical way the artist renders these structures—the cube of the lamp, the ornate brackets supporting it. It really underlines an interest in the formal properties of design. Curator: Exactly! Considering the limited view we are offered, what could we be missing? Stevns was sketching more than gas lamps, and perhaps capturing glimpses into everyday life. How do you think that the urban setting affects the way he creates this artwork? What social conditions can explain his formal style choices? Editor: Maybe we're ascribing too much weight to those things. Perhaps Stevns was more interested in exploring form in the natural light of the city! And regardless, these are lovely visual puzzles. I am compelled to fill in all the missing details to turn the drawing into something 'more.' Curator: I suppose we are each free to have our individual experience in public! Considering that Niels Larsen Stevns created this intimate sketch for himself, that freedom is probably what he felt when composing his artwork. Editor: I agree. It really offers an interesting look at the time and the perspective of the artist.