Koppen en haas 1840 - 1880

This study of heads and a hare was made in pen and brown ink by Johannes Tavenraat. The quick, expressive strokes capture a variety of human profiles, each distinct in character, yet it is the hare that draws our attention. The hare, long a symbol of fertility and vulnerability, appears here in full flight. Its presence echoes through centuries of art, from ancient Roman mosaics to Renaissance paintings. We see the hare as a symbol of the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The hare’s symbolism isn’t always consistent. Sometimes seen as a harbinger of good fortune, and other times, a creature of ill omen. This duality speaks to the complex relationship between humans and nature, reflecting our own fears and desires projected onto the animal world. Perhaps Tavenraat subconsciously captures this tension, reminding us that symbols evolve, yet their primal power remains.