Artwork
Les trois cochons couchés devant l'étable (Three Swine Lying In Front of a Sty)
Les trois cochons couchés devant l'étable (Three Swine Lying In Front of a Sty) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Charles Meryon. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Les trois cochons couchés devant l'étable is an etching on wove paper created by Charles Meryon in 1850. It depicts a serene scene of three pigs resting in front of a rustic sty.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows three pigs lying on grass before a small, thatched-roof hut with a simple door and tiny window. The relaxed animals and idyllic setting evoke a sense of tranquility.
Technique & Style
Meryon used fine lines and detailed shading to achieve a realistic, atmospheric effect. The etching technique, involving scratching a design into metal before printing, allowed for intricate textures and nuanced light and shadow.
History & Provenance
Charles Meryon, a French etcher, worked primarily in etching due to colour blindness. His career was marked by mental illness, and he died in an asylum in 1868.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Meryon (sometimes Méryon, 23 November 1821 – 14 February 1868) was a French artist who worked almost entirely in etching, as he had colour blindness.
