Discover some charming bunnies this Easter

No one is entirely sure where the tradition of the Easter bunny originated. Some say it could stem from pagan traditions, where the animal represented new life and fertility, which would go some way to explain the affiliation with the Resurrection.

Whatever the origin, there is no denying that the rabbit has been used as a powerful symbol for artists, whether it be to articulate notions of renewal, or as an analogy for society. Here, we take a look at some of the most delightful bunnies around. 

Edmund de Waal’s The Hare with Amber Eyes

© Judisches Museum Wien

Perhaps the most famous bunny in art, this tiny creature forms part of Edmund de Waal’s stunning collection of 264 netsuke,an intricately carved Japanese ornament traditionally attached toa kimono’s obi belt. It is the subject of his critically acclaimed memoir The Hare with Amber Eyes, which is described as a biography of both the collection and the artist’s family. It is now on long-term loan at the Jewish Museum in Vienna, where it is available for handling, as per De Waal’s instructions. He explains that, ‘In The Hare with Amber Eyes, I wrote of how objects can evoke histories through touch, and a stipulation of the loan is that a group will be available for handling by the many visitors to the museum.’

Two Himalayan Rabbits by Frans Everbag

YiMiao Shih’s satirical rabbits

The Epic: The Last Battle of Rabbrexit © YiMiao Shih

YiMiao creates satirical versions of our society by replacing humans with rabbits. Her absurdist project Rabbrexit Means Rabbrexit (which went on show at the House of Illustration in 2019) includes epic embroideries based on ancient tapestries, newly minted 52p coins and aeroplane landing cards, all of which foretell a fictional expulsion of rabbits from the country. By combining a surreal and arguably cute aesthetic with the context of fraught political and cultural relations, YiMiao encourages us to enter into a dialogue concerning the realities of our society. 

Sophie Ryder’s Sitting sculpture

Photo by Tim Green

This anthropomorphic hare by Sophie Ryder resides in the bucolic grounds of Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The artist has a long-standing relationship with the park after undertaking a residency in 1986, which allowed her to develop work that is defined as ‘an exploration of the female psyche and sexuality’ and frequently references the artist’s own body and its relationship to the distinct form of the hare. Over the years her exploration of this particular figure has developed into the fully formed character of the Lady Hare, which embodies maternal emotions, and is often featured in dialogue with the more traditionally ‘masculine’ image of the Minotaur.

Holly Black is The Arts Society’​s Digital Editor

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