The German artist, Hans Hoffman painted this marvelous picture (oil on wood panel) in 1585. It is titled simply ~ A Hare in the Forest. I would title it more precisely, A Hare at the Edge of the Forest.
The alert rabbit is chewing on the stem and pleated leaf of a Lady's Mantle plant. We know the rabbit is at the forest edge because the trees are behind her, the grass along the edge in front. There is a tall thistle plant on the left with a white butterfly. In the front left corner we see the broad leaves of a Plantain which was valued as a wound-healer and remedy for snakebite. Birds ate the seeds of the Plantain herb. It grows where there is sun or partial shade — along the forest edge. The Hare Bell is blooming with blue flowers. We see a cricket, spotted butterfly, salamanders, striped snails, a tiny frog and a bird perched on a low branch.
These creatures don't naturally co-exist in nature, but Hoffman has placed them artificially together not only as a nature study, but I can imagine in wonderment and delight. He clearly loves creation and is meticulous in portraying it. If we were to zoom in on the rabbit, we would see that its fur is created with many hundreds of individual paint strokes carefully placed. The top strokes of the rabbit's fur catch little bits of light.
Here are four verses taken from the psalms which suggest the psalmist understands as well as the artist. I want to see and understand too. May we bow to the imagination and beauty of it all.
For I own all the beasts of the forest,
beasts in their thousands on my hills.
I know all the birds in the sky,
I know all the birds in the sky,
all that moves in the forest belongs to me. Psalm 50:10
When you spread the darkness it is night
and all the beasts of the forest creep forth. Psalm 104:20
The eyes of all creatures look to you
and you give them their food in due time.
You open wide your hand,
grant the desires of all who live. Psalm 144:15
Praise the Lord all mountains and hills,
all fruit trees and cedars,
beasts, wild and tame,
reptiles and birds on the wing. Psalm 148:7,8
