Jachthond 1840 - 1880

This ‘Jachthond’, or hunting dog, was made by Johannes Tavenraat in the 19th century using pen and brown ink, with brush in gray. It’s a quick sketch, really, but that’s where the interest lies. Consider the relationship between the final image and the process used to create it. The artist has used the fluid, almost ethereal quality of ink to capture the essence of the scene. The minimal lines and washes perfectly convey the stillness and anticipation of the hunting dog, poised and ready. The social context here is important too. Hunting was, and is, an activity closely associated with the land-owning classes. This drawing gives us a glimpse into that world, and the role of animals within it. Ultimately, this unassuming drawing demonstrates how even the simplest of materials, when wielded with skill, can evoke a whole world of meaning. It is a reminder that ‘high art’ and more quotidian forms of image-making are not so different after all.