Kalenderblad september met aangeschoten vogel 1917

Theo van Hoytema made this lithograph calendar page for September with ink on paper. It’s a work that looks, to me, like it came right out of the process, a direct transfer of the hand’s movement to the page. The marks are raw, immediate, and vulnerable – especially in the depiction of the fallen bird at the top, its wings splayed out in a gesture of helplessness. You can almost feel the scratch of the crayon on the lithographic stone. The bird’s awkward pose and the spare use of line convey a sense of fragility. The texture is open and honest, revealing the artist’s hand and the material’s potential. It also brings to mind the simple calendars made by untrained artists who bring a similar directness and honesty to their work. It reminds me of the prints of Edvard Munch, which also embrace imperfection and raw emotionality. Both artists use the graphic arts as a space for experimentation. A space where they can be less concerned with perfection and more open to the unpredictable nature of the medium.