Haan op een poot 1917

Jan Mankes made this etching of a rooster on one leg using a metal plate, likely copper or zinc. The fine lines create an image of remarkable detail. Mankes scratched lines into the plate with a sharp needle, then submerged it in acid. The acid bit away at the exposed metal, creating grooves that would hold ink. Next, he covered the plate in ink, wiping the surface clean so ink remained only in the etched lines. Finally, he pressed paper against the plate, transferring the image. The pressure of the printing process gives the print its slightly embossed texture. This technique, requiring skill and patience, results in prints that are reproducible, yet each one retains the subtle variations of a handmade object. The rooster, an everyday subject, is elevated through the labor-intensive process of etching. This transforms an ordinary barnyard animal into a subject worthy of contemplation, blurring the lines between craft and fine art.