Kalenderblad januari met zeeleeuw 1916

Theo van Hoytema created this calendar page for January using graphite and possibly some ink. The image is dominated by a muted palette, structured into distinct tiers. These tiers range from the stylized natural motifs at the top and bottom to the more structured grid of the calendar itself. The artwork’s composition invites us to consider the interplay between organic form and geometric order. The sea lion, rendered with soft graphite lines, sits atop a rock, its form echoing the organic shapes found in the decorative borders. This naturalism contrasts sharply with the calendar grid. The grid is a rigid structure that measures out time with an almost scientific precision. Hoytema seems to be exploring the tension between our human need to categorize and understand the natural world, and nature's inherent fluidity. The calendar functions as both an aesthetic object and a tool for organizing our lives. It raises questions about how we impose structure onto the world and how those structures shape our perception of time and nature. This calendar invites us to reflect on our relationship with nature and the artificial structures we use to mediate our understanding.