Jan Mankes (1889–1920)
Annie, Reading at the Table by Lamplight
1917–1918
Oil on canvas
38.5 x 29 cm
Signed lower right

Provenance:
Beint Mankes;
Auction house Mak van Waay, 1975;
Private collection, Blaricum.

Literature:
Jelle Bouwhuis and Han Steenbruggen (eds.), Jan Mankes. Beautiful Things Are So Simple, exhibition catalogue Museum Arnhem & Museum Belvedere [2025], p. 178. Catalogue raisonné 25-375.

Information:
Jan Mankes was a Dutch artist known for his serene landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. Born in Meppel, he studied at the Rijksakademie of Visual Arts in The Hague. His delicate and introspective interpretation of nature earned him the reputation of being “Holland’s most tranquil painter.”
Mankes had a deeply personal connection to the natural world. He held a profound affection for animals and plants, fascinated by their details and transience. His works often reflect this intimacy, rendered in a poetic, contemplative style.

He frequently used clear, luminous colours applied in thin, transparent layers, lending his paintings a sense of lightness and clarity. In his later years, his palette grew more subdued and dreamlike. He often portrayed flowers on the verge of wilting, or studied deceased birds, creating a quiet melancholic atmosphere that echoes the cycles of life and decay in nature.

The painting Annie, Reading at the Table by Lamplight captures a moment of quiet concentration, showing Annie Mankes Zernike working on her thesis. Mankes was explicit: this work was meant to remain in the family and never be sold. Nonetheless, his son Beint Mankes chose to offer it at auction in 1975 through Mak van Waay.

Jan Mankes died at the age of 30 from tuberculosis. Despite his short life, his oeuvre continues to be cherished by collectors and museums alike. Works by Mankes, especially oil paintings, rarely appear on the market. The majority of his oeuvre is housed in Dutch museums, including the Rijksmuseum, Museum Belvedere, Museum MORE, Museum Arnhem, and Museum Møhlmann.