Hen with Her Chicks (Henne mit ihren Kücken) c. 1910

Emil Pottner made this lovely little print of a hen and her chicks, using a kind of broken colour, almost like the impressionists. This approach really lends itself to mark-making as a process, where each little dab and stroke builds up the final image. Up close, you can see how the colors aren't blended smoothly; instead, there are layers of greens and browns. The colours create this kind of shimmering effect across the surface. It's like looking at the world through a slightly out-of-focus lens, which adds to the overall feeling of warmth and vitality. The little strokes give the hen and her chicks a sort of vibrating energy. I’m reminded of Bonnard, with his intimate domestic scenes and a similar interest in capturing light and atmosphere through colour. But Pottner's got his own thing going on, creating a really charming and heartfelt image. It’s a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, where artists borrow from each other but always add their own unique voice.