Vogelnest 1912

Curator: Jan Mankes created this delicate etching titled "Vogelnest," or "Bird's Nest," in 1912. It’s a tiny jewel of observation. Editor: It’s immediately…vulnerable, isn't it? Those fragile little forms huddled within what looks like a chaotic scrabble of branches. I’m interested in what appear to be hand-drawn edges or borders to the design. Curator: Indeed! Mankes seems preoccupied by nature's miniature dramas, often framing them in such intimate dimensions. Considering this is an etching, we can examine this artistic method, which allowed the artist to create multiple originals. The texture he achieves is incredible for a medium usually perceived as rigid. It also speaks to labor as Mankes patiently constructed this entire image via methodical process. Editor: It almost looks like a kind of fabric; I'm thinking of woven textile designs of the period and wondering if those traditions impacted Mankes. Are the leaves framing the nest stylized? I wonder, too, if he raised birds and felt drawn to domesticity. It’s like looking into a hidden, precious world. Curator: The nest is cradled by a network of leaves which lend an interesting decorative component, creating a tension with its seemingly spontaneous central motif. Given the scale and intimacy, it is easy to see that it represents an inward gaze as it reflects upon family bonds and domestic intimacy, a quiet assertion perhaps against the clamor of the rapidly industrializing world that existed at the time. Editor: I agree with that sense of tension; in effect, it’s a celebration of both shelter and material: it’s an affirmation that simple, found materials such as twigs and saliva create a powerful sense of security for those young lives. This approach reflects the very construction of art at the time, challenging us to rethink those material means, their sources, and impact. Curator: So, this small nest gives us a wide window, perhaps even a challenge, into Mankes’ tender outlook! Editor: An outlook made tactile through careful work and an abiding attentiveness to materials, both of the nest and of art.