Annie Mankes-Zernike 1916

Jan Mankes made this portrait of Annie Mankes-Zernike with oil on canvas. The way he's captured Annie in profile, all cool tones and subtle shadows, makes me wonder what he was trying to convey. Was it about capturing her likeness, or something more? The paint is applied so smoothly, almost like he's caressing the canvas. There are delicate modulations in the flesh tones, especially around her eye, which has a subtle depth. It's like he's peeling back the layers to reveal something deeper. I wonder about the silence between artist and sitter. Maybe he was thinking about mortality, and how the simple act of looking can become a profound moment of connection. Mankes was part of a whole conversation among painters—thinking about how to make an image, how to capture a likeness, or maybe even a soul. It’s like he's whispering across time, inviting us to contemplate the mysteries of art and life.