Op de rug geziene man die een haas draagt Possibly 1869

Johannes Tavenraat made this drawing of a man carrying a hare sometime in the mid-19th century. Its elemental quality is inseparable from the medium itself: graphite on paper. The artist coaxes a remarkable amount of detail from this humble material, the soft gray tones rendered by the pencil create a hazy atmosphere. You can almost feel the chill in the air. The choice of this medium is important, it's a means of production that is immediate and accessible, and perhaps the artist wanted to create an affinity with the hunter that is the subject. The economy of line captures the weight of the man’s labor, emphasized by the dead animals at his feet. Here, the making—the act of drawing—becomes a form of social commentary. This isn't just a picture, it's a record of work, of a life lived close to the land. It reminds us that art can be found not only in grand statements, but also in the quiet observation of everyday life.