Kalenderblad voor september 1914 met een eend op het water 1913

Theo van Hoytema made this calendar page for September 1914 with ink and graphite on paper, and it’s really lovely. The mark-making is what grabs me—there's a real sense of process, you can almost see him thinking through each line. Look at the duck, how it dissolves into the water, the quick strokes defining its form and the leaves overhead. The graphite gives it a softness, a kind of gentle haze. It's like he's trying to capture a fleeting moment, the way light plays on the water, the duck just being there, part of the scene. The image is so delicate. It reminds me of Whistler, in the way it balances observation and atmosphere. Hoytema’s calendar is a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation. It's about seeing and feeling, and then finding a way to share that with others. And isn't that what it's all about? The conversation continues...