Still Life with Pig's Head, Pig's Knuckles and Sausage 1600 - 1650

"Still Life with Pig's Head, Pig's Knuckles and Sausage" by the Monogrammist JVR, painted between 1600 and 1650, is a striking example of Dutch still life painting. The painting depicts a variety of butchered pig parts, including the head, knuckles, and sausage, arranged on a table in a realistic manner. The use of natural light and the attention to detail create a sense of immediacy and realism, while the subject matter reflects the importance of food and sustenance in Dutch society during this period. The painting's title and the inscription on a piece of paper in the lower right corner, "Tis al vant Vercken," meaning "It's all from the pig," further emphasize the focus on the pig as the source of these foods. The Monogrammist JVR remains a largely unknown artist, but their skillful depiction of the pig parts and their realistic depiction of this mundane scene makes this work a notable example of the Dutch still life genre.