Kalenderblad september met aangeschoten vogel 1917

This calendar page for September, made by Theo van Hoytema, shows us an injured bird rendered in simple, expressive lines. You can almost feel the urgency in the drawing, like the artist was racing to capture something fleeting and raw. I imagine Van Hoytema hunched over his drawing, charcoal or pencil in hand, eyes darting between the subject and the page. The marks are quick, searching, full of nervous energy. The bird itself is kind of awkward, splayed out, a flurry of feathers and limbs. It's not about perfection, but about capturing a feeling, a moment of vulnerability. It reminds me that drawing, like painting, is a conversation with the world, an attempt to grapple with what we see and feel. Van Hoytema’s bird isn’t just a bird; it’s a symbol of fragility, of life’s precariousness. And through his art, the conversation continues, touching us across time and space.