Young White Goat 1914

Jan Mankes made this painting of a Young White Goat using oil on canvas. I can just imagine him making this, working meticulously and adding layer upon layer of thin paint. You can almost feel him looking intently at this young goat in order to capture its essence. I wonder what he might have been thinking when he made it? Perhaps he was thinking about the simplicity and beauty of the natural world. I see how the soft, muted colors create a sense of peace and stillness. The texture of the paint is smooth and almost translucent, which gives the painting a delicate quality. The subtle brushstrokes in the goat's fur and the way the light catches on its body communicate a feeling of gentleness and vulnerability. It reminds me a little of other painters who work quietly and observe the world around them, like Vilhelm Hammershøi. Ultimately, artists learn from each other, inspiring creativity across time. Painting is a constant conversation!