Artwork
Three Pigs
Three Pigs is an ink print by the Baroque artist Karel Dujardin. It dates from 1652 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Three Pigs is an early print by the Dutch artist Karel Dujardin, executed in 1652. The work is an etching on laid paper, a medium that allows fine linear detail. The composition presents three swine gathered beneath a thatched roof, their bodies tightly curled as if seeking shelter. The overall tone is one of unease, suggesting an imminent threat to the animals.
Subject & Meaning
The surrounding ground is rendered with rough, sketchy strokes of sticks and grass, emphasizing the harshness of their environment.
The image captures a moment of vulnerability: the three pigs huddle together under a straw‑thatched covering, their heads turned inward and eyes wide, conveying fear. The surrounding ground is rendered with rough, sketchy strokes of sticks and grass, emphasizing the harshness of their environment. The scene can be read as a commentary on the precariousness of rural life in the 17th‑century Dutch countryside.
Technique & Style
Dujardin employed the traditional etching process, incising lines into a copper plate with a needle before applying acid to bite the design. The resulting marks are transferred onto laid paper, preserving the crisp, almost sketch‑like quality of the lines. The work’s texture is characterized by quick, scratchy strokes that suggest immediacy, while the contrast between the delicate animal forms and the coarse background highlights the artist’s control of line and tone.
History & Provenance
Created in 1652, Three Pigs belongs to Dujardin’s early output, produced before his later specialization in pastoral and animal subjects. The print has circulated among collectors of Dutch graphic art, appearing in several 19th‑century catalogues of his work. Its provenance traces through European private collections, though specific ownership records remain limited.
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