Pieter Bruegel (the Elder)
The Painter and The Connoisseur, c. 1565, possibly Bruegel's self-portrait
| Years of life: | 1525 – 1569 |
|---|---|
| Artist's Teachers: | Pieter Coecke |
| Art Movement: | Northern Renaissance (Dutch and Flemish Renaissance) |
| Painting School: | Flemish School, Antwerp School |
| Genre: | Portrait , Landscape , Religious , Mythology , Genre scenes , Marine art |
|---|---|
| Country: | Flanders , Netherlands |
| Century: | XVI |
Breughel was nicknamed “Peasant” of the subject matter of his paintings, not his character. He was an outstanding Flemish painter. After 1559 the letter “h” dropped from his name (originally spelled Brueghel).
His beautiful paintings are detailed accounts of ordinary people, their everyday lives, and actions – something like a first-rate stage play or TV soap opera. The power of the impact of his paintings is great because as we enjoy the details characteristic of the time, we can recognize ourselves, especially when they show human stupidity, greed, and bad behavior.
Pieter Bruegel’s major works are Netherlandish Proverbs, 1559 (Berlin: Staatliche Museum); The Gloomy Day, 1565 (Vienna: Kunsthistorisches Museum); The Wedding Feast, c. 1567–68 (Madrid: Museo del Prado).
References:
- Robert Cumming. Art: complete encyclopedia. – 512 p. – Moscow: Astrel, 2005.
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