Hert 1840 - 1880

Johannes Tavenraat created this drawing of a deer using pen in gray ink, on paper. The image is striking in its economy and ghostly presence. Tavenraat masterfully employs subtle gradations of gray ink to define the form of the deer, creating a sense of depth and volume despite the limited tonal range. The composition is sparse. The deer dominates the frame, yet it seems to emerge from an undefined space, adding to its spectral quality. We can interpret the deer as a signifier within the broader semiotic system of 19th-century Romanticism. During this time the animal was often used to symbolize nature and freedom. Tavenraat uses the formal qualities of the drawing to convey the animal’s ethereal essence. Notice how the blending of form and ground obscures clear boundaries. It invites us to consider the deer not as a solid object but as a fluid, evolving entity. This fluidity mirrors the ever-changing nature of meaning itself.