Twee flamingo's 1716 - 1775

Curator: This is "Twee flamingo's," or "Two Flamingos," an etching and engraving made sometime between 1716 and 1775, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Its creator is Johann Jakob Stelzer. Editor: Well, immediately I'm struck by this wonderfully artificial landscape—the rigid formality battling against the frankly absurd posture of the flamingo on the right. It feels a bit…staged, doesn't it? Curator: Indeed. Note the strategic placement of the flamingos within a structured garden. Stelzer employs a precise technique of line engraving, delineating form and space with remarkable clarity. The flamingos themselves act as exotic emblems. Editor: Emblems, yes, that's perfect. Almost as if someone ordered a very fancy wallpaper and then just said, "Put some…birds…there. Elegant birds. But make them a little weird." Curator: Perhaps reflecting the period's fascination with the exotic and the scientific observation of nature. Consider the contrasting textures achieved solely through line variations—feathers against foliage, stone versus water. Editor: But look how he captures this flat perspective... It's like the backdrop for a slightly surreal play. And are those miniature people in the fountain area? What kind of garden party is that? Curator: That touches on the interplay between the intimate foreground and the receding space of the background, guiding the viewer's eye. Stelzer utilizes this composition to evoke both the grand scale of the estate and a feeling of serene order. Editor: Or controlled chaos! Because those birds don't seem to belong. I bet if they could talk, they’d complain about the lack of proper wading pools and perhaps start a minor scandal with the fountain-folk. Curator: The composition is undeniably rich in allegorical meaning, and perhaps commenting on man's impulse to shape the natural world according to artificial designs. Editor: Maybe! I still see those rebellious birds, yearning for the salty spray of a real beach. Curator: It gives much to consider how we represent our surrounding world. Thank you. Editor: Always a pleasure, truly. This was fabulous, cheers!