Studies van de achterpoten van een dode haas 1840 - 1880

Johannes Tavenraat made this drawing of the hind legs of a dead hare with pen in gray in the 19th century. The hare, often seen as a symbol of vulnerability and mortality, also carries the weight of human intervention, caught in the drama of life and death. Consider the enduring presence of the hare motif throughout art history, a theme that echoes in works from antiquity to the Renaissance. We can observe it in the stillness of Chardin's still lifes, its significance shifting across time and cultures, embodying both innocence and sacrifice. The limpness of its limbs, depicted with such stark realism, evokes an almost visceral response. This image is charged with emotional power, tapping into a profound awareness of existence that resonates with our subconscious understanding of mortality. The symbol of the hare, it seems, remains potent in our collective memory.