Berglandschap met twee rennende herten 1858

Johannes Tavenraat made this landscape with two running deer using pen in gray ink in the 19th-century Netherlands. Here, we see the Romanticist interest in the sublimity of nature. The focus on an overwhelming landscape, combined with the depiction of wild animals emphasizes the power of nature over human artifice. Dutch Romanticism was a conservative movement that emphasized tradition, religion, and the importance of the aristocratic class. At this time, the Netherlands was undergoing modernization and industrialization. Romantic art served to critique such perceived progress, showing the value of the old ways. To properly understand this piece, one might consider how academic training at the time emphasized the aesthetic value of landscapes. One could also consult field guides and historical accounts to learn how deer were perceived at the time. Art always exists in a specific time and place, and only careful research can help us to interpret its meaning for its original audience.