Kalenderblad maart met meeuwen 1901

This calendar sheet for March, picturing seagulls, was made by Theo van Hoytema. It is a lithograph, a printmaking process that relies on the artist’s skill in drawing with greasy materials on a flat stone. The entire composition is built from subtle variations of texture, achieved by layering different tones of ink. See how Hoytema uses the technique to give depth to the image. The seagulls convey a sense of weight and volume, and the flock in the background fades into a hazy sky. He uses the texture of the lithographic stone to create the frame, adding drama through the repetitive shapes of birds in flight. The calendar format, typical of commercial printmaking, elevates the artwork. Hoytema challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft. What was typically seen as a mode of mechanical reproduction becomes a medium for his artistic expression.