Twee ooievaars op een nest c. 1890 - 1930

Editor: This is "Twee ooievaars op een nest," or "Two Storks on a Nest," a drawing from between 1890 and 1930. The artist is simply credited as "Totie". It’s done in ink, with these decisive lines that really bring out the textures of the nest and the birds’ feathers. I’m really struck by the intimate scene it creates. What sort of symbols or meanings might have been linked to storks at this time? Curator: The stork, universally, is more than just a bird. Think of its cultural weight: the bringer of new life, a symbol deeply rooted in European folklore. This image, these two storks, locked together on their nest, evokes an essential theme: familial duty. Editor: Familial duty… So you see it as representing something beyond just the natural world? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the image itself. A nest is constructed by a family of birds. Ask yourself: why choose this particular composition? It could simply capture the storks nesting, a common sight at the time and place. Is it purely coincidental that a stork delivers a baby? Do these storks signify a new family taking flight? The date range – 1890 to 1930 - hints at immense societal upheaval. Storks had been believed to safeguard their nests. It stands to reason that such symbols might be embraced by common people amid total conflict and its attendant uncertainty. Editor: That’s fascinating. I hadn’t thought about it in terms of the anxieties of that period. The storks as symbols of hope… Curator: Precisely. Artists consciously, or subconsciously, tap into that collective psyche. Even a simple pen-and-ink drawing becomes a vessel for conveying powerful hopes during chaotic times. The symbolism of storks—of beginnings and familial duty—endures because it speaks to core human experiences. Editor: Thanks so much. I am going to look at every stork drawing differently now. Curator: I trust you’ll keep asking what each visual choice may suggest, who felt so compelled to document such images, and when it might've been recorded for posterity.