Koppen en hazen 1840 - 1880

Johannes Tavenraat’s ‘Koppen en hazen,’ presents a series of heads and hares sketched with ink on paper. The juxtaposition of human profiles alongside leaping hares is particularly striking. Throughout history, the hare has carried rich symbolic weight, often associated with fertility, timidity, and the cycle of life due to its remarkable reproductive capabilities and elusive nature. We find hares depicted in ancient Egyptian art, linked to concepts of rebirth and renewal. Consider how these connotations shift when placed alongside studies of human heads. The contrast invites contemplation on the nature of human existence, vulnerability, and perhaps even the fleeting quality of life. The rapid sketches evoke a sense of immediacy, capturing the essence of the subjects with minimal strokes. This raw quality engages us on a primal level, tapping into our subconscious awareness of mortality and the transience of being. As we gaze upon these faces and the bounding hares, we are drawn into a meditation on the eternal dance between existence and oblivion, a theme that resonates across cultures and epochs.