Paard in galop, honden, hazen en een hert c. 1871 - 1874

This page of sketches was made by Johannes Antonius Canta, sometime in the 19th century using ink and graphite. What is striking about this sheet is its arrangement of animals in dynamic poses, each a study in movement and form. Canta uses line and shading to convey the musculature and energy of the animals, capturing a sense of fleeting motion. Note how Canta explores different perspectives, some animals depicted upside down, challenging our conventional viewpoint. This destabilization of perspective encourages us to see the animals not merely as representational figures, but as forms in space. These sketches transcend mere anatomical studies; they are investigations into the very essence of animal vitality. The unfinished nature of the sketches—with their loose lines and minimal background detail—adds to their immediacy, suggesting that we have caught the artist in the act of observing and recording the world around him. The compositions reflect a semiotic interplay, where each form acts as a signifier pointing towards a broader discourse on nature, perception, and artistic expression.