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Cochons au Soleil (Pigs in the Sun)

Félix-Hilaire Buhot

1878

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Cochons au Soleil (Pigs in the Sun) is a 1878 ink by Félix-Hilaire Buhot, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Félix-Hilaire Buhot
When & what style?: 1878 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows a group of pigs lounging in a sunlit field. The animals are scattered loosely, some standing, others lying down, all under a bright sky. The lines are scratchy and textured, giving the scene a rough, almost sketchy feel. The artist used a mix of shading and sharp lines to show light hitting the pigs and grass. This style was a big deal in the late 1800s for capturing real-life moments. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how these techniques create such detailed prints.