Haas 1840 - 1880

Johannes Tavenraat captured this hare in ink, immortalizing its essence on paper. The hare, depicted mid-leap, is no mere animal; it is a vessel brimming with symbolic weight. Across cultures, the hare embodies both timidity and cunning, fertility and renewal. Think of the Easter Bunny, a modern echo of ancient spring festivals celebrating rebirth, or its earlier associations with lunar deities, linked to cycles of nature and feminine power. In some cultures, the hare’s elusiveness makes it a symbol of life’s fleeting nature, a reminder of mortality and the passage of time. Note the hare’s posture: legs stretched, body low to the ground, a picture of alertness and vulnerability. It’s a primal pose, mirroring our own anxieties and instincts. Perhaps this is why the hare resonates so deeply, touching our collective memories of vulnerability. The hare, then, is not just an animal on paper, but a mirror, reflecting the complexities of human existence.