Three doe heads 

Johann Melchior Roos created "Three Doe Heads" using pen and brown ink with brown wash over graphite on paper. The ochre colour field emphasizes the three heads of doe as studies, rather than a sentimental grouping. The texture of the paper contributes to a sense of immediacy, as if we are viewing the artist’s raw, unedited thoughts. The composition arranges the heads in a triangular fashion which suggests the structure of a classical study, where varied angles and perspectives are explored to achieve the most accurate rendering. Roos isn't just representing deer; he is dissecting the very idea of representing, challenging the viewer to consider how we perceive and categorize the natural world. The formal qualities of this work invite us to reflect on the intersection of observation, representation, and the semiotic systems through which we understand our environment.