Maraboe 1864 - 1936

This etching, titled "Maraboe", was created by Jan van Essen. Here, the marabou stork stands as a symbol ripe with historical and psychological undertones. Throughout history, birds often bridge the earthly and the divine, yet this marabou presents a stark contrast to the soaring eagle or graceful dove. Instead, it evokes an image of decay and transformation, with its carrion diet often linking it to death and renewal in various cultures. We can see echoes of similar symbolic weight in ancient Egyptian art, where animals embodied specific aspects of the divine. The marabou, however, flips this ideal on its head, reminding us that even in the grand tapestry of life, there is room for the grotesque. This image is more than just a portrayal of a bird. It is an engagement with the cyclical nature of existence, which has been reflected in art and mythology for centuries. Just as the marabou re-emerges in our collective consciousness, so too does the primal awareness of mortality.