Five Storks in a Meadow

Theo van Hoytema created this print sometime between 1878 and 1914. He was a Dutch artist best known for his careful studies of birds, animals, and plants. Van Hoytema designed books, calendars, prints, and many other decorative objects. He often used color lithography, a process that allowed the same image to be printed many times in several colors. A handwritten note suggests that this work may have been planned for a German magazine, although the museum is not certain. The print was given to the Rijksmuseum in 1914 and is a good example of the nature-inspired art that made Van Hoytema popular.