Voeden van de varkens 1845

Charles Jacque made this print, "Voeden van de varkens," or "Feeding the Pigs," using etching, a printmaking technique that relies on the corrosive action of acid. The controlled removal of material from the metal plate defines the forms of the image. The subject matter speaks to the conditions of rural life, and the labor required to maintain it. You can see the work that goes into even the simple act of feeding livestock. Jacque captures the bleakness of this reality in the stark lines of the etching. The artist's skilled manipulation of the etching process, combined with the subject matter, invites us to consider the value and dignity of everyday work, pushing us to reflect on the social and economic context of labor. It reminds us that art can find beauty and meaning in the most ordinary of subjects.