Drie zwaluwen 1878 - 1910

Theo van Hoytema made this print of three swallows in the Netherlands, likely around the turn of the 20th century. We see Hoytema’s acute observation of the natural world but it’s interesting to consider his choice of subject. In European folklore, the swallow is often seen as a good omen, a harbinger of spring, or a symbol of home. Here the birds are perched on a wire, perhaps suggesting the encroachment of modern life on the natural world. Hoytema was associated with the Dutch Arts and Crafts movement, responding to industrialization by celebrating the beauty of the handmade. Studying the artist’s biography, you might find he was interested in ornithology or was making a wider comment about the changing Dutch landscape. Catalogues of the artist's work, records of exhibitions at the time, or even folklore archives might shed more light on the social and cultural meanings of this engaging image.