Girl and Pigs 1802

This print, Girl and Pigs, was made by Thomas Gaugain around the turn of the 19th century. It is an engraving, enhanced with color. Gaugain was working at a time when printmaking was becoming much more widespread in Britain. While engravings had previously been made by specialists, they were now being produced on a larger scale and distributed more widely. This image has a deliberate charm, with its winsome subject matter and soft coloration. But it also provides a glimpse into the realities of rural life, with the young girl engaged in the task of feeding the pigs. The artist may have added the colors by hand, layering them over the black and white image. The texture is quite delicate. Gaugain probably saw himself as an artist, not as a craftsperson, but this print blurs that boundary. It offers a vision of how art can connect to the everyday, and to the experience of ordinary people.