Kalenderblad voor januari 1912 met drie meeuwen boven zee 1911

Here is the audio guide script: Theo van Hoytema made this calendar page for January 1912 with lithographic crayon and brush. Look at the three seagulls floating above the sea; you can feel the artist’s hand at play. I imagine Hoytema, working intently, perhaps in a chilly studio, trying to capture the stark beauty of a winter seascape. What was he thinking as he rendered each bird in flight, each wave in the sea? I wonder, did he feel a kinship with these creatures, riding the winds and currents of life? The tones in this lithograph, ranging from light grays to nearly black, give the piece a moody atmosphere. The texture created by the crayon strokes adds a tactile quality, making you want to reach out and feel the rough edges of the clouds and the smooth feathers of the birds. The way the light catches the wings of the gulls communicates their freedom and wildness. Artists like Hoytema are in conversation across time, inspiring us to see the world in new ways. Painting, in all its forms, embraces ambiguity and offers endless possibilities for interpretation, allowing us to find our own meanings within the artwork.