Peacock

Theo van Hoytema prints bring the birds of Dutch Art Nouveau into your home: owls on a branch, storks on the nest, gulls, herons, crows in the snow and the famous Ugly Duckling. Van Hoytema was a Dutch lithographer, illustrator and designer from The Hague, best loved for his picture books and his yearly bird calendars. Our collection of fine art prints includes his calendar pages, book illustrations, posters and studies.

About Theo van Hoytema

Theodorus van Hoytema was born in The Hague on 18 December 1863, the youngest of eight children of a senior official at the Ministry of Finance. Both parents died in the 1870s, and his eldest sister gave him his first drawing lessons. After school he joined his brothers' banking firm, but office life did not suit him, and in 1886 he decided to become an artist.

He studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and drew the stuffed animals at the natural history museum in Leiden, which led to scientific illustration work through his uncle, director of Brill publishers. Around 1889–1890 he took up lithography. His first picture book about birds, Hoe de vogels aan een koning kwamen (How the Birds Got a King), was a success, and in 1893 he illustrated Andersen's The Ugly Duckling.

Van Hoytema moved restlessly between Loosduinen, Voorburg, Hilversum and London. His health was fragile, and from about 1906 he lived with his sister in The Hague, who cared for him until his death on 28 August 1917. In those years he made the calendars that made him famous.

Style and Subjects

Van Hoytema drew birds and animals with close observation and gave them a decorative Art Nouveau setting: flowing lines, flat areas of soft colour, and lettering and borders designed as one with the picture. His lithographs often use muted greens, browns and greys.

His calendars give each month its own bird or animal in its season: storks in spring, waterbirds in summer, crows in the snow and owls in winter. His designs were also used for pottery and furniture.

Famous Works

• Hoe de vogels aan een koning kwamen (How the Birds Got a King). His first bird picture book, which made his name.
• Het leelijke jonge eendje (The Ugly Duckling) (1893). His illustrated edition of Hans Christian Andersen's tale.
• The Return of the Stork (1891), Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam. A stork coming home, an early bird lithograph.
• Slapende vogels (Sleeping Birds) (1896), Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. A group of birds asleep.
• Two Arabian Vultures (1901), Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. A pair of vultures, drawn with striking simplicity.
• Kalenderblad april met ooievaar op het nest (April: Stork on the Nest). A page from one of his famous bird calendars.
• Uilen op een tak (Owls on a Branch). A row of owls, one of his best-loved motifs.

Decorating with Van Hoytema Prints

Van Hoytema's birds are made for calm, natural interiors. His owls and storks suit a bedroom, nursery or reading corner, and a set of calendar pages hung month by month makes a charming gallery wall in a kitchen or hallway.

The soft greens and browns of his lithographs sit well with oak furniture, linen and plants, and look best in simple wood frames with a generous mat.

FAQ

Who was Theo van Hoytema?

Theo van Hoytema (1863–1917) was a Dutch lithographer, illustrator and graphic designer from The Hague, known for his picture books and calendars, especially those with birds.

What are his calendars?

From the years he lived with his sister in The Hague, he designed yearly calendars with a bird or animal for each month. They made him famous.

Did he illustrate The Ugly Duckling?

Yes. In 1893 he produced an illustrated edition of Hans Christian Andersen's The Ugly Duckling, followed by more bird picture books.

What art movement was he part of?

His decorative style belongs to Dutch Art Nouveau, known in the Netherlands as Nieuwe Kunst.

Where can I see his work?

His prints are in the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam.

Related Artists

• Carel Adolph Lion Cachet: Dutch decorative artist of the same movement
• Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof: Dutch Art Nouveau designer known for animal motifs
• Jan Toorop: leading Dutch artist of the 1890s
• Walter Crane: English picture-book artist of the same era