Twee zonnebloemen in een vaas 1899 - 1920

Jan Mankes made this drawing of sunflowers in a vase with graphite on paper. You can see how he built the image up, tentatively, like he was feeling his way around the shapes. The sunflowers almost shimmer. I wonder what it was like for him, sitting with these sunflowers, trying to capture their essence with just a few lines? He probably pondered the weight and feel of the graphite in his hand, the texture of the paper. Notice how the petals unfurl with such delicate precision, and how the central disk of the flower is densely shaded, creating a focal point? It reminds me of other artists who explored the beauty of everyday objects, like Van Gogh with his sunflowers, or Morandi with his bottles. There is something quietly radical in paying such close attention to the ordinary. In his mark-making, Mankes enters into a dialogue with them, and with us. His open and exploratory mark making invites us into his conversation.