Twee rennende herten in een bos 1858

Curator: This is "Two Running Deer in a Forest" by Johannes Tavenraat, dating to 1858. It’s currently held at the Rijksmuseum. He worked primarily with charcoal and ink on paper. Editor: My first thought is how dreamlike it feels! The light and shadow, the sketchy quality, like a fleeting memory of a woodland encounter. There’s something hauntingly beautiful about it, isn't there? Curator: I’m drawn to how Tavenraat captured this scene. We can see the tangible layering of ink and charcoal; you can trace the development of each form with the strokes made by the artist. Notice the types of lines: they’re economic, which lend urgency to this image. He wasn't simply representing nature, he was working. Editor: The economic lines contribute to this immediacy! You can almost feel the deer darting through the trees. It’s funny; he makes marks, like charcoal whispers, that speak so loudly of wilderness. Is it realism, or is it...impression? Curator: Well, it's catalogued as Realism, which attempted to render the observed world objectively. However, Tavenraat was clearly interested in gesture, speed, the effects of atmosphere on animal movement, a sense of play within this representation. That ink wash lends it that ephemeral quality. It reminds us that the raw materials were often locally sourced, available for amateur pursuits and explorations. Editor: Makes me think of the Romantic poets trying to grasp the sublime! These deer running through ink look more magical than, say, dinner. I imagine Tavenraat himself trekking through the woods, sketching rapidly as the deer crossed his path, filled with wonder… Curator: His mark making is indeed expressive! It’s a fascinating study of motion and nature, but it also raises questions about the artist's process. How readily available were the paper and drawing implements, and who was his target audience? Such objects were becoming more mass produced, and drawing, painting, and pressing were taught more often in schools. This image points to that material history and rise of industry, even amidst a bucolic scene. Editor: It does give the impression that anyone can, and perhaps should, take to nature with paper and charcoal in hand! It inspires. Well, I am definitely inspired. Thank you, Johannes Tavenraat. Curator: Yes, thank you for reminding us to look beyond the finished product and consider the tangible world that brings art into being.