Haas Possibly 1870 - 1871

Curator: Before us, we see "Haas," a pen and ink drawing attributed to Johannes Tavenraat, likely created between 1870 and 1871. It's a charming little work, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It’s quite whimsical, isn't it? Almost like a hurried sketch from a personal notebook. The figure leaps off the page with this manic energy – a real sense of uninhibited play. Curator: Precisely! Tavenraat, though not a household name now, was part of a rising artistic class during this era. The sketch possesses a loose, spontaneous quality, a move away from rigid academic standards championed by the Parisian Salon, and mirrors a trend toward embracing personal expression within fine art circles of the period. Editor: I notice the figure itself. Could it represent the symbolic hare or rabbit known for both fertility and a certain skittishness? Given its prominent ears and general shape, the imagery evokes these established attributes of resourcefulness but also anxiety within Western European cultures. Curator: That's a very astute reading! We often overlook how even seemingly light-hearted sketches could engage contemporary notions. Dutch society in the 1870s was marked by evolving class structures and the growth of print culture. These simple depictions could carry subtle satirical meaning, addressing these political landscapes through widely-known animal allegories and prints of the period. Editor: It feels significant that it's captured mid-leap. Is this an allegory about perpetual fleeing and anxiety? Could it be mirroring this national unease through animal representation? Curator: Possibly. The very medium itself, inexpensive pen and ink, lends itself to dissemination, offering more immediate ways of critiquing powerful institutions, outside the strictures of traditional galleries or government sponsorship. This piece offers insight into his larger worldview. Editor: That frantic energy, the sketchy lines... It gives an unfiltered peek into Tavenraat’s mind. The hare could mirror the mood of its historical context. Curator: Indeed, studying such sketches allows us to see beyond the grand narratives of official art. Editor: I see familiar motifs represented in such simple marks that it transcends its time. Curator: This offers a fresh appreciation for even preliminary sketches to find an emotional pulse still felt so strongly through the art piece's execution and context.