Schetsblad met studies van liggende varkens 1821 - 1891

This is a study of reclining pigs, sketched by Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen using graphite on paper. The appearance of this work is determined by the very direct application of graphite. With variable pressure, the artist has imparted a sense of dimension and form, using hatching and cross-hatching to suggest depth. We can see the direct marks of the artist’s hand, the movement of their wrist across the page. Although it seems quite a straightforward drawing, consider the context. This image likely relates to the artist’s wider work: producing images for reproduction. Pigs were important commercially at this time, and images like this would have assisted the artist in later works of art, or even commercial advertising. Ultimately, this seemingly simple study offers a glimpse into both artistic skill and the economic realities of 19th-century image-making. It reminds us that even the most apparently straightforward artworks are embedded in broader social contexts.