Siddende ældre mand og padde, flyvende stork og spædbarn på vandet, kvinde med spædbarn. Tre illustrationsudkast til H.C. Andersen, "Dynd-Kongens Datter" 1869

Lorenz Frølich's pen and ink illustrations from the 19th century for Hans Christian Andersen’s "The Marsh King’s Daughter" are rich with symbolic meaning. Consider the stork, a recurring motif. In European folklore, it is the bringer of babies, symbolizing birth and new life. Here, a stork hovers over an infant adrift on water, evoking ancient myths where babies appear in the water. In this context, it is a powerful image tied to subconscious desires and anxieties around creation and beginnings. These images resonate with archetypal themes – the nurturing mother, the child in peril. Notice how similar images exist in different contexts and how they resurface, evolving and taking on new meanings in different historical moments. These motifs speak to the timeless human drama of existence, engaging us on a deep level.