Pig Keeper 1843

Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps created this print, titled "Pig Keeper," using etching, a process that involves using acid to cut into a metal plate. Decamps lived through a period of significant social upheaval in France. Decamps was known for his Orientalist works, inspired by his travels to the Middle East. But here, rather than those exotic scenes, we see what appears to be a humble pig keeper. His back is turned, his simple clothing rendered in great detail; Decamps seems interested in representing the dignity and presence of labor. The figure is positioned against a landscape that blurs into the distance, creating a sense of both isolation and connection to the land. Consider how the artist’s choice to depict the figure from behind invites us to contemplate the narratives and histories of working-class individuals often unseen in art. What does it mean to turn away from idealized subjects and towards the working classes? Decamps makes visible the lives that sustained French society, prompting reflection on the values and social structures of his time.