Lichaam en koppen van een varken 1834 - 1911

Curator: Well, here we have "Body and Heads of a Pig," a pencil drawing by Jozef Israëls, dating from 1834 to 1911. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. What are your first thoughts? Editor: There's a real tenderness here, isn't there? I’m struck by the delicacy of the pencil work, the faint lines...almost reverential, as if Israëls is approaching the subject with empathy, highlighting the animal's flesh, and in turn its fate. Curator: That's a fascinating read. I think this piece offers us insights into Israëls' approach to realism. How do you see this seemingly simple sketch fitting into the larger social context? Editor: It reminds us that even in seemingly straightforward sketches, labor and materials intertwine. We see pencil on paper, yes, but where did the materials come from? How accessible would they have been? These things matter when considering its meaning in society. The drawing’s realism is more poignant given what will happen to these pigs as product, commodity...food. Curator: Precisely. It also shows how sketching like this became important preparatory work for larger, more socially engaged paintings in the Hague School, focusing often on rural life and labor. Do you think that this elevates it, in a sense? Pushes it beyond just being a study of an animal? Editor: Definitely. Israëls has focused closely on the specific textures and surfaces of the animal's form. Highlighting craft through representation, even though the medium is simple—pencil. In a way, it democratizes the image, brings a vital physicality to his subject matter. Curator: A perspective well worth considering when viewing a drawing of farm animals by Israëls. Editor: Yes. Ultimately, the artwork stands as a testament to our complex relationship with what we consume. Thanks to how artful its presentation is, it is definitely hard to turn away from what is being offered.