Bruegel

On the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the death of Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c.1525/30–1569) the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna is mounting the first-ever large monograph exhibition of the leading Netherlandish painter of the 16th century. Only around forty paintings by Bruegel have survived, which is why museums and private collectors are right to count Bruegel’s paintings among their most precious and fragile holdings. Bruegel’s popularity continues to be informed by his often socio-critical but always varied, entertaining and powerful compositions. They invite the spectator both to begin an artistic discourse with the work and to reflect on the complexity of its content. This spectacular catalogue invites readers to immerse themselves in the world of the Netherlandish master. The results of recent research on materials and techniques allow us to focus on Bruegel’s creative process: his perfect handling and execution, his virtuoso use of colour and his draughtsmanship – these are some of the many mysteries of this great artist. Bruegel’s inventions and stories create artworks with a timeless power.

On the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the death of Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c.1525/30–1569) the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna is mounting the first-ever large monograph exhibition of the leading Netherlandish painter of the 16th century. Only around forty paintings by Bruegel have survived, which is why museums and private collectors are right to count Bruegel’s paintings among their most precious and fragile holdings. Bruegel’s popularity continues to be informed by his often socio-critical but always varied, entertaining and powerful compositions. They invite the spectator both to begin an artistic discourse with the work and to reflect on the complexity of its content. This spectacular catalogue invites readers to immerse themselves in the world of the Netherlandish master. The results of recent research on materials and techniques allow us to focus on Bruegel’s creative process: his perfect handling and execution, his virtuoso use of colour and his draughtsmanship – these are some of the many mysteries of this great artist. Bruegel’s inventions and stories create artworks with a timeless power.

The life and times of Pieter Bruegel the Elder ( c . 1526/30–1569) were marked by stark cultural conflict. He witnessed religious wars, the Duke of Alba’s brutal rule as governor of the Netherlands, and the palpable effects of the Inquisition. To this day, the Flemish artist remains shrouded in mystery . We know neither where nor exactly when he was born. But while early scholarship emphasized the vernacular character of his painting and graphic work, modern research has attached greater importance to its humanistic content. Starting out as a print designer for publisher Hieronymus Cock, Bruegel produced numerous print series that were distributed throughout Europe. These depicted vices and virtues alongside jolly peasant festivals and sweeping landscape panoramas. He would eventually increasingly turn to painting, working for the cultural elite of Antwerp and Brussels. This monograph is a testament to Bruegel’s evolution as an artist, one who bravely confronted the issues of his day all the while proposing new inventions and solutions. Rather than idealizing reality, he addressed the horrors of religious warfare and took a critical stand against the institution of the Church . To this end, he developed his own pictorial language of dissidence , lacing innocuous everyday scenes with subliminal statements in order to escape repercussions. This collection captures all the breadth and splendid detail of Bruegel’s oeuvre like never before, and gathers all 40 paintings, 65 drawings, and 89 engravings in pristine reproductions —each piece a unique witness to both the religious mores and the close-knit folk culture of Bruegel’s time.