Kalenderblad juni met kwak 1907

Theo van Hoytema made this calendar page for June with a night heron, likely with watercolor and ink and a whole lot of patience. I can imagine him at his drawing table, peering intently at his subject. The bird is so serious, standing atop its little rock like it owns the place. I wonder if Theo identified with that stance? The marks are so particular and precise, it feels like he really saw that bird, not just "a" bird. The pale green wash gives a feeling of springtime, of things just barely coming into being. Below the heron is a frieze of little birds and the calendar itself, each date marked with a tiny bird. It makes me think of illuminated manuscripts. I am struck by how much love there is in it. Like he is not just making a calendar, but trying to capture something essential about nature and the passage of time. And I feel like I know him a little bit.