Varkens 1610 - 1703

Editor: This is a print called "Varkens," made sometime between 1610 and 1703 by an anonymous artist. It looks like an engraving. I'm struck by how different the pigs are – one is very active and energetic, while the others are completely still. What stands out to you when you look at it? Curator: Immediately, I note the strategic composition. Observe how the artist employs contrasting textures, using the graphic medium of engraving to its fullest potential. Note the density of line to suggest tonal variation that offers depth to the image and enhances the textural qualities of the scene—the coarse hair of the boars, the rough wood of the fence, and the scattered straw underfoot. Editor: I see that. The busy lines definitely create different surfaces. So, you're saying it’s less about what the pigs *mean*, and more about how the artist used the lines to *show* them? Curator: Precisely. Consider the dynamic tension generated by the positioning of the pigs. The one at left scratching or warding off insects serves as a lively counterpoint to the stillness of the pair at right. This dichotomy, rendered through careful line work, reveals an interesting visual tension. Are you drawn to that dichotomy? Editor: Absolutely. The one pig almost seems trapped or restless, while the others are content. I wouldn't have picked up on that contrast as much without considering the lines and textures, the visual push-and-pull of the engraving. Curator: Indeed. Furthermore, consider how the artist uses the graphic medium's limitations—monochrome, line-based—to simulate qualities typically found in other art forms. How is volume and tonal qualities built out of limited means? The artist's technical solution becomes the art. Editor: I’ve definitely learned to appreciate how much detail and thought goes into something that at first seems like a simple image!