Struik after 1854

This undated drawing, ‘Struik’, was made by Johannes Tavenraat, using graphite. We see here a page filled with text, and a drawing of a branch. The text, in Dutch, describes trees in February. Given the prevalence of landscape painting at this time, we might consider what it meant for an artist to combine naturalistic imagery with written description. Tavenraat was working in the Netherlands during the 19th century, a time of burgeoning national identity. Artists were looking to create distinctively Dutch forms of art. Was this combination of text and image Tavenraat’s attempt to do something different than, say, the French? Perhaps the Rijksmuseum's archives can provide insight into Tavenraat’s artistic intentions. What is clear is that he was experimenting with the conventions of both visual art and literature. And it is through understanding that historical context that we can best appreciate the radical nature of this work.