The Flora and Fauna of Elswout

Elswout, the land of alder trees and canals, is quite scenic. Therefore it is best to let the pictures, with a little of my own narration, speak for itself.

The path to the estate runs adjacent to a residential area. As a consequence there are lots of cyclists and walkers on it at all hours of the day.

A canal flows parallel with the path, turning to the right as the path heads toward the entrance gate, which can be seen as the red brick building in the background.










Geese and pheasant loiter in the field, harassing each other in a spring time mating ritual.

There are strategically placed bridges over many of the canals, affording access to the main house which was originally constructed on a patch of land surrounded by a moat. Statues of women huddle in the moat sporting coats of green moss.

Meanwhile a herd of deer live on the estate, occasionally competing with resident sea gulls for food and the attention of visitors. Territorialism bounds across species. This last image reminds me of a painting by Jan Asselijn entitled The Threatened Swan. 

Jan Asselijn
The Threatened Swan, 1650
oil on canvas
144 x 171 cm
Rijksmuseum

The image is large, a feature pronounced by the life-sized swan in the center of the painting. The swan's outstretched wings and defensive stance can be explained by the menacing dog in the lower left corner of the painting. This bird is defending her nest. White feathers flutter in the air, landing on the water and at the bird's feet. It seems like a life or death moment, as though the swan's very survival is at stake. 

The composition is a bit off-balance. The wing tips on the right are cut off, the majority of the action in the painting runs on a diagonal line between the swan's beak and the dog's muzzle. 

There is some debate about the meaning of this work, largely because words were painted onto the canvas some time after it was completed which politicized the conflict between the swan and the dog, rendering an allegory of intrigue by implying that the swan symbolized Johan de Witt who was protecting Noord-Holland from the depradations of the state, symbolized as a dog. 

The problem with this interpretation is that the events took place nearly 25 years after the painting was completed. 

This may be an example of reading too much into it. In Asselijn's case, perhaps it is just a bird defending her nest.