Pornokrates, Felicien ROPS (Namur 1833 - Corbeil 1898) 1878

by Atelier Liesjes

La Dame au cochon (Dutch translation: The lady with the pig), is a painting by the Belgian painter Félicien Rops from 1878 in watercolour and gouache. In his Pornokratès Rops depicts a woman with a pig on a leash, and profile, seen from the left. Apparently she represents a courtesan. She is almost naked, with the exception of her silk stockings, shoes, long gloves, earrings, a large blue silk bow with gold band and a blindfold. Above the pig, which has a golden tail, floats three winged putti, angels.
The woman depicted exudes strength and seduction: a femme fatale who has "the reins in her hands". The pig symbolises the male, in beastly condition, submissive and ignorant, controlled by the female, referring to the myth of Circe. Its golden tail, symbol of the devil, refers to luxury and fornication. Yet it is the pig that leads the woman in her blindness, despite her dominance, cruelty and seduction. In a way, Rops reverses the roles and considers the woman as the "human animal".