Anne Zernike voert de kippen 1917

Jan Mankes made this etching, titled 'Anne Zernike voert de kippen,' using an etching needle and acid on a metal plate. The monochromatic palette emphasizes a limited range of grays, achieved through meticulous hatching and cross-hatching. It's amazing how a simple palette can say so much about light and shadow. The texture feels almost velvety, built up from countless tiny marks, like the stippled bodies of the chickens. The way the artist renders the light filtering through the leaves creates a dreamy, ethereal quality, a space that feels both intimate and expansive. Look at the area around the sunflowers and how the artist has captured their roundness with a mass of short etched marks. This reminds me a little of the etchings of Samuel Palmer, who, like Mankes, sought to capture a spiritual quality in the everyday. Both artists remind us that art is a conversation that happens over time.