Les trois cochons couchés devant l'étable (Three Swine Lying In Front of a Sty)
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1850
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Les trois cochons couchés devant l'étable (Three Swine Lying In Front of a Sty) is a 1850 ink by Charles Meryon, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows three pigs lying on grass in front of a small, thatched-roof hut. The hut has a simple door and a tiny window. The pigs look relaxed, with their heads down. The background has a few bushes and a rough, textured sky. The artist used fine lines to show light and shadow, making the scene feel real. This is an etching, which means the design was scratched into metal before being printed. Look up etching to see how this process works.
