Two geese 1920

Editor: Here we have "Two Geese," a 1920 charcoal drawing by Jan Mankes. It’s rendered in these wonderfully muted tones and depicts a pair of geese with their characteristic long necks. What strikes me most is the almost melancholic feel it evokes despite the simple subject matter. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What I see, initially, is Mankes' deliberate choice to depict a subject rooted in the pastoral, at a time of growing industrialization. Early 20th-century art was grappling with rapid social change. Mankes seemingly retreats, presenting an almost idealized vision of rural life. Notice how the geese are confined by a rudimentary wooden structure – almost like a stage set. Does this confinement speak to you at all? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't considered that the geese seem contained. It almost gives the scene an air of quiet desperation rather than idyllic freedom, right? Almost like a theatre piece, but there is no action. Just these two geese. Curator: Precisely! The “stage” creates an interesting paradox. We are viewing “nature,” yet it is presented in an undeniably constructed and mediated manner. Mankes is forcing the viewer to actively consider how they’re consuming this seemingly simple scene, challenging the notion of an unvarnished view of nature. So the point of focus is the cultural perception and depiction of natural imagery rather than simple nature. What is the significance of portraying domesticity? What's more "public", if anything, than showing something domestic, commonplace, private even? Editor: So, it's less about the geese themselves and more about what Mankes is saying about society’s view of the natural world at the time. I guess it really speaks to the constructed nature of the image, despite its rural aesthetic. That gives the "Two Geese" a totally new dimension! Curator: Absolutely. By using the tools of realism while simultaneously disrupting our expectations of unmediated nature, Mankes provokes questions about the political role of seemingly apolitical imagery. It gives the viewers more than just an appreciation of nature's beauty.