Kalenderblad november met bonte kraai 1915

Theo van Hoytema made this calendar page for November with colored pencil, and its subdued palette and delicate lines make me think about the quiet observation of nature. There’s a beautiful contrast here between the mechanical grid of the calendar and the organic forms of the crows and foliage. It feels like Hoytema is inviting us to consider the rhythm of nature within the confines of our human-made timekeeping. Look at the top panel, at the crow perched on the branch. See how the strokes of the pencil create a sense of texture and depth, but also how light and airy the whole image remains. That balance, that tension between detail and simplicity, is what makes the image sing. It’s like Hoytema is saying, “Here’s a moment, a fragment of the natural world, observe it closely but don’t get bogged down in trying to capture it perfectly.” Maybe this connects to the work of someone like Agnes Martin, who used grids and subtle variations in color to create a sense of meditative calm. Art is such an ongoing dialogue.