Hond, vanuit verschillende aanzichten gezien 1864 - 1880

Editor: This is "Hond, vanuit verschillende aanzichten gezien," or "Dog, seen from different angles," by Johannes Tavenraat, made sometime between 1864 and 1880, using pencil on paper. It feels like a peek into the artist's personal sketchbook. What do you see in this piece that might connect with broader social or historical contexts? Curator: Well, beyond a simple animal study, I see an exploration of how we, as humans, perceive and represent "the other." The dog, domesticated yet perpetually "outside" of human society, becomes a canvas for exploring issues of power and perspective. The artist isn’t just capturing the dog’s physical form; they're hinting at the complex relationship between humans and animals, a relationship steeped in colonialism, labor, and even affection. Editor: Colonialism? That's not something I immediately associate with a dog sketch. Curator: Think about it: during this period, the control and classification of both human and animal populations were deeply intertwined. These quick sketches can be a meditation of observation of living beings. Consider the "civilizing mission" and how it extended to the animal kingdom. Tavenraat's sketch might inadvertently reflect these societal attitudes. The way the artist’s renders this domestic animal also is in line with observation, the goal of understanding, taming if you will, its spirit through sketches. What does this remind you of? Editor: I see what you mean, almost like the artistic equivalent of cataloging specimens. I didn't think a simple sketch could hold so much. Curator: Exactly. Art, even seemingly simple sketches, doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's always engaging with and reflecting the power dynamics of its time. Considering gender too, we can see it as an artistic practice mostly made my cis-men at the time, where the ‘other’ – dogs in this case - is drawn and therefore seen through their subjective views. What is our place now when approaching this art? Editor: That definitely gives me a lot to think about, looking at art through that lens. It adds a whole new dimension. Curator: Indeed, understanding the context allows us to critically engage with the artwork and its relevance even today.