Drie paarden 1840 - 1880

Johannes Tavenraat made this sketch of three horses using pen in grey ink and brush in grey on paper. The eye is drawn to the contrast between the fluidity of the wash and the controlled precision of the line work which animates the creatures on the beige ground. Looking closely, we can see how Tavenraat has captured not just the physical likeness of the horses but also their implied movement. The strategic placement of light and shadow suggests a semiotic relationship between form and function, where the dynamism of the horses is emphasized through their structured representation. This sketch subtly destabilizes the fixed image of the animal by exploring its capacity for movement and transformation. Through these formal qualities, Tavenraat invites us to reconsider our understanding of representation as a dynamic interplay between structure and expression.