Ornamentele rand met bladeren en arend c. 1910

This ornamental border with leaves and eagle was created by Bernard Willem Wierink. I can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the surface, carefully carving out the intricate details. The eagle, wings spread wide, commands attention, a symbol of power and freedom, framed by those leafy wreaths, like a celebration of nature. I wonder, was Wierink thinking about the balance between strength and serenity, or perhaps the relationship between humanity and the natural world? It makes me want to carve something! The use of a single color creates a sense of unity, drawing the eye around the composition. You can imagine him carefully considering each line, each curve, each repetition. It is like a dance between intention and accident, control and surrender. And it reminds us that artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring each other across time.