Chick, standing to the left, some poppies to the right 1920

Jan Mankes made this sweet etching, Chick, standing to the left, some poppies to the right, a long time ago, in black and white ink. You know, when an artist makes a print, it's not like painting where you can build up layers on the canvas. Etching is more like carving a thought into a surface, and each line has to count. I like the way the chick is placed in the center of the artwork. It makes me wonder what Mankes was thinking about when he made this. Was he thinking about childhood or fragility? The little chick, standing there so delicately, surrounded by those dark, looming shapes… But then, on the right, there are these poppies. I see them like a symbol of beauty and resilience. Maybe Mankes wanted to balance the vulnerability of the chick with a touch of hope. It's a little bit like life, isn't it? And the more you think about it the more meanings emerge.