Geslacht varken op een leer c. 1709 - 1779

Curator: We’re looking at "Geslacht varken op een leer," which roughly translates to "Butchered Pig on a Leather," a drawing made sometime between 1709 and 1779 by Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin. It's currently held here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: Oh, wow. That’s… visceral. I’m struck by how delicately rendered it is, considering the subject. It’s almost…tender? There’s something unsettlingly intimate about the presentation. Curator: Indeed. Chardin masterfully uses pencil and charcoal on paper to depict a raw scene, elevating what might otherwise be a mundane, or even grotesque subject to a level of… artistic observation. The composition is remarkable. The carcass is centered, dominating the frame, yet the cool tonality subdues any immediate sense of horror. Editor: Cool is the word! I get a clinical vibe. I can’t shake this sense of detachment from the viewer and artist, as if removed by an invisible barrier from this reality. But is there also a subtle social commentary? I'm curious to learn the meaning of such scenes during the 18th century? Curator: The artist created genre paintings, still lifes, and portraits with natural qualities and it can be argued that by presenting the butchered animal, this drawing offers insights into both Baroque style and artistic interpretation during that era, using this study of form, light, and shadow to capture our attention. We become participants, even implicated in the scene before us, regardless of discomfort. Editor: Hmmm, perhaps. What stays with me is the sense of stillness amidst the scene of raw corporeality. The soft hues draw me closer to examine the detailed structure. It’s haunting and beautiful—all at once. Curator: The play of light and shadow invites us to consider broader themes related to consumption and our relationship to the natural world, even our morality, perhaps? Editor: It seems so, as through form and content, a deeper emotional reflection can appear...Thank you! Curator: Thank you!