About this artwork
Here Adriaen van Ostade depicted the communal butchering of a pig, a topic alluded to in Rembrandt van Rijn’s The Hog. While Van Ostade used a less dramatic and calligraphic line than Rembrandt, the dark tone and concentrated format of the small roundel emphasize the importance of this source of food to the massing villagers. One holds a candle and another has a basin to catch the blood, while others, including children, smile in anticipation of the coming feast.
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Currently Off View
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Adriaen van Ostade
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Title
- The Pigkillers
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Origin
- Holland
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Date
- 1647–1657
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Medium
- Etching in black on ivory laid paper
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Dimensions
- 112 × 112 mm (image/plate); 118 × 117 mm (sheet)
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Credit Line
- The Joseph Brooks Fair Collection
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Reference Number
- 1908.467
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
