Twee hanen, een kip en drie kippenpoten 1899 - 1920

Jan Mankes drew these chickens, a hen and some chicken feet in pencil on paper. He seems to have been trying to capture the essence of what makes a chicken a chicken. I’m always fascinated by the artist's gaze, the way they really *see* what's in front of them. Mankes’ quick, light lines, they’re like he's trying to grab the fleeting essence of these birds. I imagine him sketching rapidly, chasing after the way a chicken moves, the angles of its body. The drawing has an amazing quality, an attempt to see how the parts make the whole. And then the feet! These feel precise and intentional. Mankes is studying, asking questions, and recording his thoughts in line. I can almost feel his curiosity and wonder, and I think that's what great art is all about. It's not just about showing something, but about sharing a way of looking and thinking.