Kalenderblad april met varkens 1903

Theo van Hoytema's "Kalenderblad april met varkens" probably emerged from a block of wood at the turn of the century, give or take. It looks like it was carved with care and patience. I imagine Van Hoytema patiently carving away at the block, thinking about the cycle of life, or maybe just really liking pigs. The composition is lovely. The pigs are grouped in a naturalistic way, surrounded by light and dark patches of green and brown. The frame is beautiful. It has a decorative border of clover leaves and flowers that creates a sense of enclosure, while the calendar itself is laid out in a grid-like pattern. Those tiny pigs at the top of each date box? C’mon! What a fun, oddball thing – and a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places.