Schetsblad met hazen en koppen 1840 - 1880

This is a sketch sheet with hares and heads by Johannes Tavenraat, created with pen in brown ink. The composition presents a collection of studies, organized yet informal, which creates a sense of movement through the repetition of forms. The artist’s lines are economic yet expressive, capturing the essence of the subjects with remarkable efficiency. Notice how the hares are depicted mid-leap, their forms elongated and their energy palpable. In contrast, the heads, rendered with distinct character, offer a study in human expression. Tavenraat uses the pen to explore texture and form, from the fur of the animals to the wrinkles and contours of the human faces. Through his organization and composition, the sketch sheet functions as a semiotic space where the natural and the human coexist. Tavenraat challenges us to consider the relationships between observation, representation, and the act of drawing itself.