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Email to FriendAdriaen van Ostade, Etching, The Pig Killers, c. 1642  |
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| Artist: | van Ostade, Adriaen (1610 - 1685) |
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| Title: | The Pig Killers, c. 1642 |
| Medium: | Original Etching |
| Image Size: | 4 5/8 in x 4 1/2 in (11.8 cm x 11.6 cm) |
| Sheet Size: | 4 7/8 in x 4 3/4 in (12.4 cm x 12.1 cm) |
| Framed Size: | 20 5/8 in x 20 5/8 in (52.4 cm x 52.4 cm) |
| Signed: | This work is signed in the plate in the lower left hand side of the work 'A. Ostade' |
| Edition: | From State VIII (of VIII). |
| Condition: | This work is in excellent condition, a fine, dark impression with margins. |
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Gallery Price
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Item# 3317
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| MFA SALE | 50% Off: $2,250 |
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Creating a night scene shrouded in mystery, Van Ostade depicts the moment in which a group of peasants kill a pig. Van Ostade hides the faces of the pig and the peasants except for that of the small child illuminated front and center, gazing on in fascination at the sight before him. |
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| Historical Description: | |
| Encircled around a glowing campfire, a group of peasants partake in the killing
of a pig. One bold woman, pitchfork in hand, stabs the pig straight in the belly,
her entire family (children included) looking on. The onlookers appear fascinated,
as if this violent act does not faze them in the least. As horrific as this
moment might appear to the modern viewer, one can only surmise that the animal
is being sacrificed out of necessity, not out of cruelty. The dark, shadowy
setting adds a somewhat eerie element to this piece, for the viewer can barely
witness the dead animal or the faces of the onlookers, most of whom are partially
shrouded in darkness. The only face that remains entirely illuminated is that
of the small child in the center, who appears fascinated with the event at hand.
Created c.1642, this original etching is from State VIII (of VIII). Signed in the plate, 'A. Ostade' in the lower left, this work is printed on a fine laid paper.
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Biography of Adriaen van Ostade
Adriaen van Ostade (1610 - 1685)
Adriaen Van Ostade was a Dutch genre painter and etcher. The eldest son of Jan Hendricx Ostade, a weaver from the town of Ostade near Eindhoven, Adriaen van Ostade was born in Haarlem on December 10, 1610. Although Adriaen and his brother Isaak were born in Haarlem, they adopted the name "van Ostade" as painters. Van Ostade studied under Frans Hals in 1627 and was very influenced by fellow student Adriaen Brouwer (1605-1638). In 1634, he joined the Lukas Guild in Haarlem of which he was later the head in 1647, 1661, and 1662. He typically depicted scenes of peasant life: tavern brawls, village fairs, and country quarters. Occasionally, van Ostade painted Biblical subjects, portraits, and landscapes. Later in his career, he adopted a warmer palette and deeper chiaroscuro (high contrast) effects after the style of Harmensz van Rijn Rembrandt (1606-1669). He died in 1685, a well-known artist of his time.
