Roofvogel 1840 - 1880

Johannes Tavenraat created this study of a bird of prey in the Netherlands sometime in the mid-19th century. Tavenraat’s choice of subject and his method of depicting it can be seen in the context of the art academy. From the 17th century onward, the academy was the foremost institutional structure shaping artistic production. Aspiring artists would learn the skills of drawing through copying prints and making studies of plaster casts and exemplary works of art. Animal studies were another common practice. Tavenraat may have made this drawing in preparation for a history painting or a landscape, genres that were considered more prestigious by the academy. To understand this work better, we can research the archival records of the academy to learn about its curriculum and teaching methods. By combining institutional history with close visual analysis, we can gain insight into the social conditions that shaped artistic production in the Netherlands.