Boomstam en bloesemtak 1899 - 1920

Jan Mankes made this drawing of a tree trunk and blossom branch with a pencil, on a piece of paper. The thing about drawings is that they are so clear about the artist's decision-making process. You can see every line, every change of mind. It's kind of like the artist is thinking out loud. I wonder if he made this drawing sitting right in front of the tree, or from memory? There is a tenderness in the way he captured each form, the rough texture of the trunk against the softness of the blossoms. I can almost feel him observing the tree, patiently translating its essence onto paper. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin’s quiet, meditative drawings. The way Mankes renders the scene with such simplicity is really striking. It feels like an exercise in seeing, in really looking at the world around you. And in turn, it makes me want to slow down and notice the beauty in the everyday.