Kleurnotities 1840 - 1841

This ink drawing, titled "Kleurnotities," was made by Johannes Tavenraat in 1840. Though seemingly simple, the notes capture an artist's observations on colour and form, elements that carry symbolic weight. The sparrows and trees mentioned in the drawing, for instance, are not merely descriptive but evoke a sense of nature. Consider how sparrows, across cultures, symbolize diligence and community. The "greenish tints" of the wood evoke associations with life, renewal, and growth. The colour green appears across art history to represent nature, vitality, and harmony, yet also in folklore, it's the colour of envy and misfortune. These are all emotional and psychological aspects of the image, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. Such symbols are not static; they evolve, influenced by cultural contexts and the collective subconscious, yet resurface, transformed.