Broeikas met sierkalebassen before 1901

Theo van Hoytema made 'Broeikas met sierkalebassen' or 'Greenhouse with ornamental gourds' with colored chalk, sometime around the turn of the last century. What I love about this, is the way the gourds and foliage fill up the space like a decorative tapestry. Up close, you can see how the chalk has been layered in soft, almost shimmering strokes. The surface is so delicate and powdery, you feel that even a breath could disturb it. It’s as if van Hoytema is describing the greenhouse not just as a physical place, but as an atmosphere—a microclimate of humidity and light. Notice how he uses the blue of the sky to make the leaves shimmer in the foreground? There’s a real sense of the ephemeral about it, like the fleeting beauty of organic life. It reminds me a little of Odilon Redon’s pastels, with that same dreamlike quality. It’s a reminder that art can be a space for meditation and reflection.