Drie varkens 1878 - 1943

Willem van Konijnenburg made this drawing titled "Drie Varkens" - Three Pigs - with pencil on paper. Van Konijnenburg, working in the Netherlands during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often explored themes of nature and rural life, reflecting a broader cultural interest in agrarian subjects. In this light pencil drawing, we get a glimpse into the intimacy of farm life, where animals and their environment are one. The drawing invites us to meditate on our relationship with food production and consumption. Although seemingly simple, it offers a glimpse into the labor and lives that sustain us. The drawing’s stark realism confronts the often-romanticized view of rural existence, forcing us to consider the true cost of what we consume. Consider how this artwork shapes our understanding of the ethical dimensions of food and labor. These pigs, rendered with tenderness, invite a deeper reflection on the values we place on different forms of life and labor.