Kalenderblad april met aronskelken before 1905

This is Anna Sipkema's April calendar page, printed with lithography. It's a stunner, all about the interplay of form and function. The palette is muted, with the grey-white aronskelken, or Calla Lilies, and the greens and reds forming soft contrasts. I think of the way color here is layered, flat, almost like stencils building up an image - it shows us that art making is also about choices, about what to leave in and what to leave out. Notice how the stems of the lilies create these serpentine curves, a dance between natural forms and pure decoration, framing the calendar dates. They guide your eye, setting the rhythm. This piece reminds me of the work of Hilma af Klint. Both artists use organic forms to make something spiritual. It's less about perfect representation and more about evoking a mood.