Kalenderblad september met goudfazant 1914

This is a calendar page for September, by Theo van Hoytema, and it's at the Rijksmuseum. Look at the way Hoytema uses color here - these muted greens, yellows, and browns create a calming, earthy feel. It's as if the whole page is breathing with the quiet rhythms of nature. The texture is so interesting, especially in the bird at the top. You can almost feel the soft, ruffled feathers, and the delicate marks that describe them. The way the calendar grid integrates these animal motifs is fascinating. The artist is embedding the human construct of time within the natural world, as if time itself is a part of nature. This piece reminds me a bit of the work of Walter Crane, with its attention to graphic detail and stylized forms. Both artists share an interest in making images that are not just decorative, but also deeply connected to the world around us.