Swineherd
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1650
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Swineherd is a 1650 ink by Allart van Everdingen, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This picture shows a quiet countryside scene with a small stream cutting through it. On the left, a lone figure tends to a group of pigs near the water’s edge. Dense trees frame the scene, their branches heavy with leaves, and a church or house peeks through the foliage on the right. The sky above is mostly empty, with just a few wispy clouds. The artist used fine lines to create texture—notice how the water looks rippled and the grass has a soft, almost fuzzy look. This kind of detail was tricky to do back then. If you like this style, look up etching to see how artists made prints like this.
