Hert en een jager leunend op zijn geweer 1854 - 1868

Curator: This sketch, rendered in pen and pencil, is titled "Deer and a Hunter Leaning on His Rifle" by Johannes Tavenraat, and dates from around 1854 to 1868. You can find it in the Rijksmuseum’s collection. Editor: It has the immediacy of a fleeting thought, captured swiftly. The tilted perspective lends a feeling of instability, or perhaps even tension, with the deer awkwardly suspended above the hunter. Curator: Well, it certainly wasn't intended for public display. Think of this instead as a study, quickly jotted down. See the toned paper and the experimental pen-and-ink sketchwork – likely part of a personal sketchbook, where Tavenraat could freely explore form and composition. This was artistic labor, plain and simple. Editor: But that labor coalesces into meaning! The hunter, posed with his rifle, a clear symbol of power and control, positioned over a suspended, seemingly vulnerable deer. Are we seeing a classic depiction of man's dominion over nature or something more complex? The lack of detail makes it hard to interpret definitively. Curator: Perhaps we are imposing too much, searching for overt symbolism where it might not exist. I suggest a look at the cost of these kinds of materials for casual sketches during this time, considering this a class signifier, as well as a common practice for academic artists of the day to practice draftsmanship. Editor: Even so, I still feel the power of those symbols! Deer are so often linked to innocence and vulnerability in our cultural memory, so seeing one almost dangling above a hunter invites a reading about power and control. Curator: Yes, it's a compelling image on many levels, regardless of its intent. Seeing the process makes this image have even more layers than simply symbolism. Editor: It invites contemplation about nature, man, and the role of each. Thank you, Johannes, for sharing that internal struggle.