Kalenderblad juni met broedende vogel 1906

This calendar page for June with brooding bird was made by Theo van Hoytema, and it looks like it was printed, maybe a lithograph? The muted colors create a cozy scene—a bird sitting in a nest, surrounded by leaves. You can see the handmade quality, the soft layering of tones, and the way the colors blend. It's very material, you can almost feel the texture of the paper and the ink. I love how the bird is rendered with these gentle strokes, and you can see the way the artist built up the form. It is a single colour, but it varies in density. The way the calendar grid is integrated into the image is brilliant. It reminds me a bit of William Morris, that arts and crafts sensibility. There’s a connection to nature, and a real consideration of artmaking as something integrated into everyday life, like marking the passing of time. But unlike Morris this isn’t a repeated pattern, there is a unique focal point that gives the piece a sense of calm, but also purpose.