Reiger met drie apen 1905

This lithograph, *Reiger met drie apen*, showing a heron with three monkeys, was made by Theo van Hoytema, though it is not dated. I'm interested in the stark, almost gothic, quality that comes from using just black and white. The texture here is amazing, especially how Hoytema creates depth using layers of dark and light. Look at the feathers of the heron, how each one is defined with subtle lines, giving the bird a sense of weight and presence. And then, below, the monkeys almost seem to emerge from the shadows, their faces full of curiosity. It’s like Hoytema is playing with visibility, revealing and concealing with each stroke. I can see similarities with the work of Odilon Redon here. The whole thing has this dreamlike quality, like a scene from a story we can’t quite place. It reminds me that art isn’t about answers, but about creating spaces for questions.