Envelop met koppen 1866 - 1867

This envelope with heads, sketched by Johannes Tavenraat, presents us with intriguing faces rendered in ink. The recurring motif here is the profile portrait, a format that dates back to ancient coins and cameos, serving as a means to capture likeness and status. Consider the man in the tophat, sharply defined and set against the more loosely rendered faces, his presence evokes a sense of authority. This echoes the tradition of rulers and important figures immortalized in profile throughout history. These studies in Tavenraat’s artwork are reminiscent of quick, informal sketches—like those by Leonardo da Vinci—exploring human expression. Such works delve into the recesses of the psyche, revealing humanity. This is a recurring phenomenon where artists through epochs dissect and attempt to externalise states of mind through studies of facial expression. These expressions speak to something profound that bridges our collective unconscious. In this envelope, Tavenraat engages in a timeless tradition of capturing human likeness, inviting viewers to reflect on the ever-evolving, yet consistently present, human condition.