The Pigkillers

Here Adriaen van Ostade depicted the communal butchering of a pig, a topic alluded to in Rembrandt van Rijn’s The Hog. While Van Ostade used a less dramatic and calligraphic line than Rembrandt, the dark tone and concentrated format of the small roundel emphasize the importance of this source of food to the massing villagers. One holds a candle and another has a basin to catch the blood, while others, including children, smile in anticipation of the coming feast.