De vos en de ooievaar / Fabel van J. de La Fontaine 1894 - 1959

Editor: This is "De vos en de ooievaar," or "The Fox and the Stork," an etching from somewhere between 1894 and 1959, currently at the Rijksmuseum. It’s presented like a comic strip, showing a fable by La Fontaine. It feels lighthearted, almost absurd, but with a clear narrative. What kind of symbolic meaning might be embedded in a work like this? Curator: Indeed. Consider how animal characters, particularly the fox and the stork, carry centuries of symbolic weight. The fox, often depicted as cunning and deceptive, contrasts sharply with the stork, frequently seen as virtuous and long-suffering. These archetypes tap into our cultural memory. What emotions are conjured as you see these two anthropomorphic animals engage in this story? Editor: Well, seeing them in human clothes almost makes the story more relatable. We all know someone like the sly fox and someone like the upright stork! Is that the intent, to reflect human nature? Curator: Precisely. By placing them in familiar human scenarios – dining together, attempting reciprocal hospitality – the artist invites us to reflect on fairness, reciprocity, and the inherent challenges in intercultural or interpersonal relationships. Do you notice how the images shift in tone across the story’s unfolding? Editor: Yes, the humor fades as their interaction leads to disappointment and the final frames express that. It's an enduring lesson. Curator: This work reveals how enduring those visual and narrative symbols can be. Editor: It's fascinating to see how a seemingly simple fable, rendered in this comic style, still holds so much meaning. Thanks!