Reigerschedel op een Drentse almanak 1913 - 1915

Jan Mankes made this delicate pencil drawing, *Reigerschedel op een Drentse almanak*, sometime around the early 20th century. It’s a beautiful study in understated observation. The skull itself is rendered with the softest touch, almost like a whisper on the page. Mankes coaxes out its form with subtle gradations, giving us just enough information to recognise its shape. The almanac, by contrast, has a sharper, more defined edge. The layering of these two forms generates a quiet tension between the ephemeral and the everyday. The texture feels so smooth, the pencil strokes so light, it’s as if he’s trying not to disturb the stillness of the scene. You can see the influence of Japanese prints in his careful composition and pared-down aesthetic. I’m also reminded of Morandi, in the way he imbues such commonplace objects with a sense of quiet dignity. Mankes’ drawing invites us to contemplate the beauty in simplicity, the poetry in the ordinary.