Studienblatt_ Drei Schweine 

Eugène Delacroix made this study of three pigs with graphite on paper. Delacroix was a master of capturing movement and expression, and here, with the most economical of means, he studies the animal form. The medium of graphite lends itself to quick, iterative sketching. Notice the many lightly drawn lines, which the artist used to find the contours of the pigs, and suggest their volume. It's clear Delacroix wasn't aiming for a finished picture, but rather, using the immediacy of drawing to understand his subject. In his era, the study of animals was linked to wider social and economic practices, as livestock became increasingly tied to industrial agriculture and capitalist economies. These sketches reveal a convergence of artistic inquiry and social context, reflecting Delacroix’s engagement with the world around him, not only in his grand paintings but also in his close observation of everyday life. This piece blurs the distinction between fine art and the craft of observation.