Kalenderblad mei met merel 1906

This calendar for May, with a blackbird, was made by Theo van Hoytema, and it’s just delightful! The gentle color palette—greens and muted yellows—gives a soft, dreamy feeling, like spring itself. You can really tell that artmaking for Hoytema was a process. The texture here is very subtle. It looks like he used thin layers of paint to build up the image. There’s a slight opacity, giving it a very light touch. The blackbird itself feels both present and a little bit mysterious. It’s the focal point. But it seems to be listening to the sounds of nature. It makes you feel like the bird is part of something bigger. This reminds me a little of the work of Hilma af Klint. Both artists seem interested in connecting the natural world with something spiritual. Art can be about embracing ambiguity, and letting go of the need for a single explanation.