Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an oil painting by Niels Larsen Stevns. It dates from 1941 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. Created in 1941, this oil-on-canvas self‑portrait belongs to the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1941, this oil-on-canvas self‑portrait belongs to the collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst. It depicts the artist reclining, partially covered by a blanket, with his face turned away and a hand resting near his head. A chair and a curtained window appear faintly in the background, framing the intimate scene.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents the artist in a vulnerable, almost private pose, suggesting contemplation or repose rather than formal self‑presentation. The half‑concealed figure and the subdued setting invite viewers to consider the inner life of the painter, emphasizing personal reflection over public identity.
Technique & Style
Thick, impasto brushstrokes dominate the surface, creating a textured, tactile quality. The loose, visible application of paint conveys a sense of immediacy, as if the image was rendered swiftly. This vigorous handling of oil aligns with Stevns’s broader interest in expressive, gestural painting.
History & Provenance
Niels Larsen Stevns, originally trained as a journeyman painter before studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, produced the portrait during a mature phase of his career. The painting entered the Statens Museum for Kunst’s holdings, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s representation of 20th‑century Danish art.
Context
Stevns is perhaps best known for his collaborative decorative work on Viborg Cathedral, where he and Joakim Skovgaard drew on early Christian and Byzantine motifs. While the cathedral commissions are monumental, this self‑portrait reveals a more intimate, painterly side, contrasting public religious decoration with personal artistic inquiry.
Artist & collection
Artist
Niels Larsen Stevns (9 July 1864 – 27 September 1941) was a Danish painter and sculptor.
