Drie dode hazen 1843 - 1844

Editor: Here we have Johannes Tavenraat's "Three Dead Hares", a pencil drawing from around 1843, currently held in the Rijksmuseum. The drawing style feels incredibly realistic, but the subject matter, well, it's rather unsettling. What is your read of it? Curator: It's fascinating to consider why an artist would choose such a subject. Still lifes, yes, but typically of food or flowers suggesting prosperity or fleeting beauty. This drawing speaks to the role of the hunt, and the societal value placed on demonstrating prowess. It shows the social acceptance of displaying the spoils of the hunt in a way that might seem foreign today. Do you see anything in the composition that strengthens this perspective? Editor: Perhaps the careful arrangement of the hares? They’re not just randomly scattered; there's a deliberate placement. One is even presented belly-up. Curator: Precisely. Tavenraat, working within an academic tradition, would have been very aware of presentation. Academic realism often served those in power; how are they viewed and how do they see themselves? "Three Dead Hares" suggests an almost celebratory tone regarding the control over nature, a reinforcement of the prevailing social order where hunting, and thus power, was concentrated in the hands of the elite. Editor: It's a pretty stark difference from today's context. Now, many find hunting objectionable. I never considered how taste and the politics of art can shape something like this. Curator: Exactly. Art doesn't exist in a vacuum. Examining the societal structures that influence the artist and their audience sheds new light on the work. I look at what and how the world used it. Editor: This has definitely made me rethink my initial reaction. The image may look simply realistic at first glance, but with context, it offers an unexpected insight into 19th-century values.