Dode haas, hangend van een achterpoot 1775 - 1833

Jean Bernard made this drawing of a dead hare hanging by one foot in the Netherlands, sometime around the late 18th or early 19th century. Still life paintings of dead animals were popular in Dutch art, often celebrating hunting culture and the abundance of nature, but Bernard’s stark image could also reflect on the transience of life and the relationship between humans and nature. The hare, hung upside down, becomes an object of study; the artist's close attention to detail transforms the dead animal into a work of art. To understand this drawing better, one can research the traditions of Dutch still life painting, the role of hunting in Dutch society, and the changing attitudes toward animals during this period. It might also be interesting to consider the institutions that supported art making at the time.