Kalenderblad voor juni 1910 met boerenzwaluwen op een telefoonkabel 1909

Theo van Hoytema made this calendar page for June 1910, using lithography. What strikes me is the gentle blending of nature with the grid of days, the soft colour palette, a process in which organic forms like swallows and insects meet the order of dates and weeks. It feels like nature gently invading the man-made calendar. There’s a tactile quality to the lithographic marks, a subtle graininess that gives the image a warmth. The birds themselves, perched on what looks like a telephone wire, have this beautiful soft rendering. The artist has given each bird a unique posture and energy. Look closely at the bird in flight, its wings spread wide, almost touching the edges of the frame. It's a bold gesture, suggesting freedom and movement. It reminds me a little of the later work of Charles Burchfield, but with a softer touch. Both artists embrace the ambiguity of forms, inviting us to see nature not as a static backdrop but as a fluid, ever-changing presence. Art is, after all, a conversation across time, a way of seeing and experiencing the world through different eyes.