Piggie Bank
1880
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1880
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Piggie Bank is a 1880 by James Sydney Ensor, a Impressionism work, depicting sus scrofa, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This sketch shows a pig’s head turned sideways, its snout and ears drawn in quick, rough lines. The pig’s body is bulky, with a simple pot on its back—maybe a tiny hat or container. Below, a smaller pig’s head peeks out, also drawn fast and loose. The artist used heavy shading to give the pigs shape, almost like scribbling. It looks like a quick study, not a polished finish. Check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.
