Kalenderblad voor maart 1912 met spreeuwen in een boom 1911

Theo van Hoytema made this calendar page for March 1912 with lithography. I love how he renders the subject with a clear, concise application of line. The image, as a whole, is very flat, in the best possible way. There's something incredibly satisfying about the texture created through lithography here, with its slightly rough, porous surface. The density of the marks varies across the print, creating areas of light and shadow that give the birds their form. Look at the way the artist renders the feathers of the birds—each one is a tiny, deliberate stroke, building up a sense of depth and texture. It feels as if the artist is using drawing to observe, and in doing so he has made the invisible visible. It reminds me a little of the work of Utagawa Hiroshige. Both artists share a similar appreciation for nature and a knack for capturing fleeting moments in time. Ultimately, this print reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation.