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Idyllic and unspoilt. These are characteristics that perfectly suit the sculpture 'Child with bird trough' that has emerged from among the overgrowth in the park of the Papaverhof. The child gazes devotedly at the water in the trough and carefully stirs it with his right hand. All attention is focused on this simple act. The rest of the world seems not to exist for the child.

The bronze sculpture by Marian Gobius was made in the first year of the Second World War, when the world was on fire. The sculpture can be seen as an escape from the harsh reality that must have forced itself on Gobius at the time. The sculptor lived and worked in Voorburg from 1934 onwards. A large number of nationally and internationally renowned teachers taught her sculpture, including Professor Jan Bronner at the Amsterdam Rijksakademie.

The bronze sculpture of the child with the bird-drinker is in every respect characteristic of Gobius' visual language and working method. She sculpted in a figurative style and showed a distinct preference for children's portraits and school groups. She also made resistance monuments and medals. She worked with all kinds of materials and shared her passion for drawing with many fellow sculptors.
The fact that her work was particularly appreciated in the period between the two World Wars is shown, among other things, by the fact that she received a royal grant for four years (from 1930 to 1934). This was very special at the time.

The idyllic picture is enhanced by the special surroundings. The Papaverhof was designed in 1991-1922 by the well-known architect Jan Wils (1891-1972) as part of the Daal en Berg housing complex. He grouped a large number of double family houses in two horseshoe shapes around a substantial inner garden. The block-like design of the houses and the use of primary colours, plus black and white, reinforce the contrast with the bronze garden statue.