I read
The Bronze Pig (
The Metal Pig, according to older translations, which actually say that the pig was made of brass) some time ago, but have only just gotten around to doing a drawing from it on account of some turbulence in my life. (Speaking of my life, I showed some art this past weekend at Zeitgeitst's
Analog Frontiers show - it's up until the end of March, I believe.) Anyway,
The Bronze Pig is sort of an art-appreciation story for children. (Maybe I should do a fully illustrated version and pitch it to some publishing houses as such?) The statue of a pig comes to life and escorts a street urchin around Florence, exposing him to such works of art as Michelangelo's
David. These adventures inspire the child to devote his life to art, he achieves some success, and - almost as an afterthought to the body of the story - dies. I suppose Andersen at the last regretted not making this tale more morbid, and tacked on that last little detail: that, in death anyway, this young artist gained recognition.
It has become my custom to illustrate specific lines from these stories; the ones I found especially irresistible. I haven't done that this time*, instead I've chosen to depict the scene in which the pig and his young charge gaze in awe upon the statue of David, who - if only in part - was a pleasure to draw. And, what can I say? I heart drawing piggies.
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| The little boy said not a word; he was half pleased and half afraid. |
[Graphite. Moleskine. 5x8"]
* If I were to choose such a delicious line from this story, it may very well be this one: "it is quite a picture to see a half-naked boy clasping the well-formed creature by the head, as he presses his rosy lips against its jaws."
