Tureluur 1878 - 1907

Theo van Hoytema made this colour lithograph titled "Tureluur" here in the Netherlands in the late 19th century. The image depicts a redshank, or "Tureluur" in Dutch, flying low over a field of flowers. Hoytema's style is influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, which rejected industrial production and celebrated traditional craftsmanship. His choice of lithography, a printmaking technique, aligns with this emphasis on craft. The detailed rendering of the bird and flowers, combined with the subtle colour palette, evokes a sense of natural beauty. The late 19th century saw a growing interest in nature and the environment. Art played a role in fostering appreciation for the natural world. This artwork is typical of the period in that it celebrates the Dutch landscape at a time when people were moving to cities. To fully understand Hoytema's work, it helps to examine the broader cultural context of the Netherlands at the time and the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement on Dutch art and design.