Oil on panelexpand_more
The John R. Van Derlip Fundexpand_more 2017.48
The wealthy urban merchants of Holland in the 1600s relished humorous images of rural peasants, farms, and animals found in the countryside that surrounded the cities. Paulus Potter specialized in pictures of Dutch cows and hogs, painted in detail and with great affection. Here, two animated farmers or swineherds catch up near a crumbling well structure, while nine hogs sleep and stand around them. The hogs are the real subject matter of the painting, and each of them has individual features and a seemingly independent personality. If you were to have a party with pigs, you would definitely want to invite this group—but perhaps not the urinating swine on the far right.
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