Portret van Beint Mankes 1914

Editor: We're looking at "Portret van Beint Mankes," a 1914 engraving by Jan Mankes. It's a striking portrait, but there's almost a restless quality to the linework that feels very modern, yet antique at the same time. What do you make of it? Curator: Ah, Mankes! He had such a subtle hand. I think you've nailed something essential – that tension between modern sensibility and older techniques. This isn't just a likeness; it feels like an attempt to capture something of the sitter’s very essence through the density and direction of the lines. Doesn't it remind you a bit of old engravings you see illustrating scientific textbooks, or even an illuminated manuscript, a bit? And see how the background swirls – almost echoing the internal workings of the mind itself. What do you think it conveys about Mankes' perspective, capturing Mankes capturing Mankes? Editor: I do see that now. It feels like he's mapped his emotions. It reminds me of how the renaissance started portraying feelings more realistically. Was Mankes trying to bring some form of old-fashioned thinking to the modern period? Curator: Precisely! Perhaps even idealizing that older, more interior world. I think this portrait also plays with ideas around form. Think how Mankes has filled what should have been voided space, filling it with blackness. Mankes seems to have had a beautiful eye for subtle shadows, using cross hatching for this effect. Do you agree? Editor: Yes, absolutely. The density really gives the portrait a lot of weight. So it's almost like he’s using historical techniques to explore inner states. Curator: Exactly! It’s this fascinating blend that makes Mankes so compelling. Editor: Well, I definitely have a better appreciation for his unique voice now. Curator: Me too! Each encounter reframes the other.