Studie c. 1862 - 1864

Curator: We’re looking at “Studie,” a drawing done around 1862-1864 by Johannes Tavenraat. It's a pencil sketch on paper, currently held in the collection here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first thought is—ephemeral! Like catching a fleeting moment in nature. All these lines sort of dancing, or maybe like a gust of wind through some reeds? Curator: It’s intriguing to consider this sketch in relation to broader trends in art education and academic drawing in the mid-19th century. Tavenraat's pursuit of abstraction can be contextualized by the evolving philosophies surrounding form and representation. Think about how traditional art academies at the time emphasized precise realism. This departs rather dramatically. Editor: Right? There’s a freedom here. He's less interested in documenting precisely what's there, but more like capturing the feeling of the thing. I like that contrast, of academic discipline bumping up against… pure expressive mark-making. Curator: Exactly. The artwork is an intimate interplay between intention and chance—revealing perhaps Tavenraat’s inner dialogue as he experiments with line and form to evoke the spirit of the scene. The social constraints on artistic expression during the period may not have supported such departures. Editor: That's interesting. Makes me wonder what other rebel sketchbooks were out there... hidden explorations breaking free from the rules. Also, did he just leave it at that, or was this the first move in developing this initial form into a complete depiction. Curator: The drawing resonates today with discussions around artistic freedom. We’re compelled to evaluate whose voices get amplified in art history and how definitions of ‘skill’ and ‘representation’ shape that. What narratives might this drawing interrupt if placed within an exhibition of highly rendered, representational artworks? Editor: Okay, you’ve officially activated my curiosity. I need to go find more of his sketches now! There is this sensation of, oh, like it hasn't fully taken shape yet; that the artist might at any moment start developing something new, and this will disappear into it. Curator: For me, this piece serves as a poignant reminder of art’s capacity to defy expectations. Editor: It's like we've caught a little secret whispering on the page. Cool.