Winter Pig 1975

Jamie Wyeth made this painting of a pig in winter, and right away I am struck by the artist’s willingness to experiment with the materiality of paint, even in a representational work like this. It’s interesting how Wyeth handles the paint here, mixing very wet and very dry brushstrokes. The pig’s bristly fur is brought to life through the use of short, choppy strokes, almost like a dry brush technique, while the snow outside the window is rendered with a smoother, more blended approach. Note how Wyeth layers thin washes of color to build up the form of the pig, creating a sense of depth and volume. The muted palette of browns, grays, and whites really enhances the bleakness of the winter scene. This pig kind of reminds me of some of Lucien Freud's portraits – the way he captures the raw, fleshy quality of the animal. But unlike Freud, Wyeth seems to imbue his subject with a sense of loneliness and longing, turning a simple barnyard scene into something quite profound. And isn’t that what art is all about, anyway?