This charming 19th-century oil painting by Danish artist Christian Berthelsen (1839-1909) depicts a village scene with storks nesting atop a timber-framed dwelling. Is it simply a gentle portrayal of idyllic family life? Or does it allude to a sinister fairy tale by a well-known Danish author?
Berthelsen was born on the small picturesque island of Føhr, where most families worked the land and lived in villages peppered with quaint thatched cottages. Amid these rural communities, children became familiar with various folk stories including those told so menacingly by the author Hans Christian Andersen. In 1839, the year Berthelsen was born, Andersen published ‘Storkene’, a typically macabre tale involving a family of storks. It begins:
"On the last house in a little village the storks had built a nest, and the mother stork sat in it with her four young ones, who stretched out their necks and pointed their black beaks, which had not yet turned red like those of the parent birds.
A little way off, on the edge of the roof, stood the father stork, quite upright and stiff; not liking to be quite idle, he drew up one leg, and stood on the other, so still that it seemed almost as if he were carved in wood. 'It must look very grand,' thought he, 'for my wife to have a sentry guarding her nest. They do not know that I am her husband; they will think I have been commanded to stand here, which is quite aristocratic' and so he continued standing on one leg.”
And then in a gruesome twist, it switches to a group of unruly children who tease the nesting storks with a violent song. It’s too grim to repeat!
Did Berthelsen have this in mind when deciding to paint this scene? It’s particularly interesting that it relates to his birth year given the association of storks and children..
Either way, the Danes have long considered the significance of the nesting stork with many believing it brings good luck despite the moral of the fairytale.
A fascinating piece.
Signed/dated lower left and held within a gilt frame.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 25” x 19½” / 63cm x 49cm
Year of creation: c. 1900
Labels & Inscriptions: The verso bears two notes. The first appears to list the names of the painting’s former owners. The second provides a short biography.
Condition: Fine craquelure but the paint is stable. Areas of in-painting following a previous restoration. Frame with some light wear.
Artist’s auction maximum: £3,502
Our reference: BRV1412
Danish artist Christian Berthelsen is predominantly known for his landscapes in oil, which often capture views from the rural environs of Svendborg. He began his artistic career as a porcelain painter before pursuing his true vocation. Primarily self-taught, he honed his skills by studying the masters at the National Gallery. His works are held in at least two public collections.
Learn more about Christian Berthelsen in our directory.
We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.
