Kalenderbladen van april, mei en juni, met hagedis en vogels 1901

Editor: This is "Kalenderbladen van april, mei en juni, met hagedis en vogels," or Calendar sheets for April, May, and June, with Lizard and Birds, made by Theo van Hoytema in 1901. It’s a drawing, a print on paper using ink. I'm immediately drawn to the Art Nouveau style and the almost obsessive detail in each panel. What strikes you most when you look at this calendar? Curator: The pervasive presence of natural cycles rendered through symbolic forms. Calendars mark time, but here, Hoytema elevates this function. Notice how each month's animal—lizard, bird—is integrated into its floral border, reflecting the pulse of life within that time frame. April shows emergence, May, blossoming, and June, new life. Editor: So it's more than just decoration. It’s actually communicating a deeper meaning about nature’s rhythms? Curator: Precisely! Look at the lizards intertwined along the bottom—they evoke ancient symbols of rebirth and transformation, anchoring the temporal cycle of the calendar to the endless cycle of nature. Does that imagery bring any particular associations to your mind? Editor: Well, lizards often symbolize adaptability. Given the context of a calendar, it makes me think of adapting to changing seasons. Is that reaching too far? Curator: Not at all! Adaptability resonates strongly. Furthermore, Art Nouveau often sought to unify art and life, and in Hoytema’s case, it’s an attempt to reconnect with nature at a time of rapid industrial change. What could be a more pertinent cultural reminder? Editor: It makes you think about the connection between the human experience of time and nature’s timeline, something easy to forget. I hadn’t considered that deeper social commentary aspect within it. Curator: And hopefully, it allows one to reflect upon our relationship to our environment with much more sensitivity.