Studie af provst F.C. Gutfeld efter kopi af E.C. Harboes portræt. Kopien på Frederiksborg 1930 - 1938

This graphite drawing by Niels Larsen Stevns is a copy of E.C. Harboe’s portrait of provost F.C. Gutfeld. The sketch is rendered with soft lines and delicate shading that gives a sense of volume to the face. I can imagine Stevns with his sketchbook, lightly pressing the graphite onto the paper as he seeks the form, adjusting the pressure to achieve the desired tone. You can almost see him thinking aloud as he draws, following the subtle contours of the face. The softness of the graphite lends itself beautifully to capturing the likeness of the provost, conveying a sense of gentleness and serenity. The artist seems to have captured not only the physical features of Gutfeld, but also something of his character and spirit. Stevns was a master of capturing light and atmosphere in his paintings, and even in this small sketch, one can see a glimmer of that skill. He contributes to an ongoing conversation about how an artist sees and represents the world around them.