Haas 1840 - 1880

Curator: Oh, look at this ink drawing by Johannes Tavenraat! It’s titled "Haas," created sometime between 1840 and 1880. What's your first take? Editor: Sleepy bunny! Utterly adorable. The composition is so simple, so spare. It makes me want to curl up for a nap myself. But also a little sad... something about the loose linework, it feels fleeting, like a memory fading. Curator: That sadness might stem from the hare's symbolic load. Across cultures, the hare is a potent figure, representing everything from fertility and rebirth in pagan traditions, to vulnerability and fear, especially as a prey animal. It almost seems more worn out than peaceful. Editor: Interesting. I didn’t immediately jump to cultural symbolism—more just a visceral feeling from the sketchy quality. The cross-hatching gives it a bit of depth, but the figure seems to blend into the ground, echoing its vulnerability. Like it's trying to disappear into its environment, a silent plea for protection etched in ink. The lines quiver like the hare itself. Curator: It's striking how a few seemingly rushed strokes manage to communicate so much emotion. The lack of detail pulls us inward; perhaps Tavenraat intended that the audience see a blank space of reflection that calls out to something bigger. It's as if the hare embodies the burden of time, and stands as a reminder of nature's frailty, all communicated through those lines. Editor: I get what you're saying, with how such minimalistic lines embody so much power, making one appreciate its simplicity and emotional honesty all the more. Seeing art like this always encourages me to strip back what’s inessential. Curator: For me, I walk away thinking the artwork can be viewed almost as a philosophical koan delivered in ink. Editor: Beautifully put! This brief encounter makes you value all its raw emotive quality.