Hert 1868

This is a quick sketch of a deer, made by Johannes Tavenraat using pen and ink. The Romantic era, in which Tavenraat worked, celebrated the power and sublimity of nature. Animals, like this deer, were often romanticized as symbols of freedom and the untamed wilderness. There is a raw, emotional energy in the stag as it bounds across the page. Yet, we must also consider the cultural context of hunting and its relationship to class and power. Hunting was a pastime reserved for the wealthy elite. The deer, in its vulnerability, becomes a symbol of the complex dynamics between humanity and nature, privilege and survival. This sketch invites us to reflect on our own place within these historical and social landscapes.