The detail is wonderful, as it is with all of Steffensen's works. We have translated the title, and it is "Spruce Cones" I suspect that the horse's unruly conduct may have been a result of spruce cones under his saddle?? This unpretentious genre scene has been executed in a highly detailed, precise realist style reflecting the classic academy tradition. (They are characterized by the careful light and shade producing a convincing illusion of three-dimensional volume of the figures and also the skillful depictions of details.) I love his rural scenes, such as this, with figures of peasants as well as farms and animals.

The drawing is signed and executed by Poul Steffensen (Danish, 1866-1923), a well-listed Danish artist. He was a pupil of C.N Overgaard, studied at the Royal Art Academy in 1887 where he was a pupil of F. Vermehren, Julius Exner and Carl Bloch. Steffensen worked primarily with landscapes and animal scenes. He is best known for his series of realistic and detailed landscapes with cattle, sheep or horses. His animals are always adding a premium to his work. Steffensen was also an excellent illustrator and did the illustrations for the history novels by the authors Carl Etlars and B.S Ingemann. He participated in the following exhibitions: Charlottenborg: 1892-1922, The Artists Fall Exhibition: 1904, Art Union: 1923, Gallery Bergenholz: 1920.

Country of Origin: Denmark.

Title: "Grankogler" ("Spruce Cones")

Medium: Pen, watercolor and ink on paper.

Signed/Dated: "Pst
1918" Lower Right.

Size: The drawing is placed on mat of A4 format. The drawing itself is 6 by 8 inches; the mat is 8 1/4 by 11 3/4 inches.

Condition: This unframed drawing is in Very Good Antique Condition, with some yellowing of the paper.

This drawing came from a private collection of illustrations for books and magazines by Poul Steffensen.