Etiket met ooievaar 1895

This label with stork was created by Theo van Hoytema, using etching. The stork, poised amidst irises, carries profound symbolism, deeply embedded in our cultural memory. Across civilizations, the stork is a potent emblem of birth and new beginnings. In ancient Egypt, it was associated with the soul. Yet, its Germanic folklore roots depict the stork as a bringer of babies, a narrative that persists even today. Observe how Hoytema contrasts the stork's stillness with a flight of birds, perhaps alluding to life’s unpredictable journey. Consider the serpent, a symbol of healing, shedding its skin to be reborn anew. This cycle of death and rebirth is not linear but cyclical, echoing Nietzsche's eternal recurrence. The persistence of these symbols highlights the enduring human quest to understand existence. These images tap into a wellspring of collective knowledge, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The stork has resurfaced and evolved, acquiring new layers of meaning across historical epochs.