Pieter Bruegel the Elder- Artist Study

Pieter Bruegel the Elder was born in the Netherlands. According to A Child's Introduction to Art by Heather Alexandder, Bruegel apprenticed for a painter and publisher in Antwerp, which was a city of wealthy bankers who hoped to fill their homes with art. He took a trip to Italy, and on the way back home, he became fascinated by the Alps Mountains and surrounding forests.

Bruegel liked to paint peasants, or farmers, in the countryside. However, he was not a peasant himself. In fact, he was quite wealthy and lived in a large city. In order to paint them, Bruegel, along with one of his patrons from the city, would dress in peasant clothing and go out to the countryside Together they would sneak into fairs and weddings, pretending they were invited guests.

He would study the rural people's looks and gestures, and then make quick sketches. Later, he would go back to his city studio and paint the scenes he remembered.

In Splat! The Most Exciting Artists of All Time, by Mary Richards, there are some interesting facts about Bruegel:
- His paintings tell the story of everyday life and ordinary people at work and at play.
- Bruegel's work included oil paintings, drawings, and prints.
- He lived in Antwerp and Brussels, in modern-day Belgium.
- There are about 40 surviving paintings including Children's Games, The Hunters in the Snow, and The Harvesters.

Below are six paintings that Pieter Bruegel the Elder created. Olivia studied each of them and shared some things that she remembered about them.

The Tower of Babel
Pieter Bruegel the Elder
1563
Oil on wood panel
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, there is this great big building that is round.
- The walls look like they are a standstone, but the inside is a reddish color.
- There are people walking on the ledges that stick out from the walls - so it is like a big ramp that goes all the way around.
- At the bottom of the tower, there is a bay with ships in it. On the beach there looks like they have brought in more of the red rock.
- To the right corner of the picture, there is a quarry - maybe - because there are more of the same rocks that they used to make the walls.
- There are people by the rocks and it looks like they are having a conversation.
- One has a white cloak, the other is dressed in a yellow tunic, while some of them look like they are guards and have spears.
- Behind the people in the distance is a town or village, but it is very big.
- Below the people, it looks like there is a small flock of sheep.
- To get to the tower, you need to go over a bridge that is made of stone. And the tower is so tall, that there is a cloud covering the front of it.
- The sky is blue and it looks like a very nice day. There are clouds in it.
- The land is very green and you can see the ocean a little bit in the distance as well.
- The tower seems to have a lot of doorways and windows in the wall, so you can always see out to the land.
- People all over the tower - they're just walking around and maybe working or bringing things up to finish the tower.

Hunters in the Snow
1565
Oil on wood panel
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria

According to "50 Artists You Should Know" by Thomas Koster, Bruegel did not depict only the work and pleasures of peasants, but also the large and small misfortunes and mishaps of daily life. In this painting, a house is on fire and some of the skaters are taking a tumble. 

In the book "Splat! The Most Exciting Artists of All Time," by Mary Richards, it is noted that this painting was from the series called "The Months," which showed peasants at work hunting, harvesting hay, picking fruit, chopping wood, ice skating, sledding, and drinking in a tavern....People agree that there were probably six [paintings in the series], one for each pair of months. In which case, the view of April and May is still missing!

Olivia remembered:
- The picture is set in the winter and it is a very hilly, mountainous terrain.
- There are two ponds - with one being connected to a river.
- There are people on the ponds ice fishing, and the river has a small stone bridge crossing it.
- There are some houses on the left side of the picture while on the right side there are houses going down the hill.
- There are three hunters on top of the hill that are being followed by dogs, and they are carrying wooden sticks. Some of the other hunters have a fire going next to the house. It looks like they are going to cook some of the birds they caught.
- There are birds in the trees above the hunters, and there is one flying.
- In the distance, there is a mountain with a grove of trees.
- The sky looks like it is the same color as the frozen pond, with a few clouds in the corner.
- The picture itself looks like it is a bit dreary for something that could be happy.
- The only thing that appears to be bright in the picture are the houses.
- By the fire, there is a stand which holds the caught birds or pheasants.
- The dogs are mostly shadows or just black, but some of them have the same reddish-tones as the houses, except a tad bit darker. There are all different size dogs - there are big ones and little ones.

The Peasant Wedding
1567
Oil on panel
Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum

According to "Splat! The Most Exciting Artists of All Time," by Mary Richards, this piece is full of lively characters eating, drinking, and having fun. Bruegel pays great attention to the expressions on their faces and the details of their clothes.

Olivia remembered:
- The first thing that you notice in the picture is a man in a blue shirt with a white apron and he's got a kind of a funny red cap on his head, and he is holding the end what looks like a big tray with pies on it or porridge.
- The people are in a big room and in the back of the picture there is a little window that looks like it would be for bringing dishes to or getting more food.
- On the back wall there is a tapestry with a picture of maybe Mary or a saint, and I believe they are praying and there is a candle lantern above it. I don't know if it is part of the tapestry or not.
- In the left corner of the picture, there is a child who is sitting on the ground with a plate or very shallow bowls and he is licking it, and he is leaning against a tub full of cups.
- Next to the tub is a man and he is holding a cup, and he has a big pitcher that he is pouring ale or water...actually I don't think it is water. It is some kind of alcoholic bubbly.
- There are two men next to a table and they have bagpipes - some sort of musical instrument. They are playing.
- At the very crowded tables, are people sitting and talking and having a good time. There's lots of food on the table. I'm not sure what that window does because there is lots of food already on the table.
- Then on the right side of the picture, you have a woman and a woman sitting across from one another, and the woman appears to be talking to them and gesturing. The woman is dressed in white and the man is dressed in black with white or silver accents.
- The clothes are much nicer than the other people. I'm thinking now that they are the married couple.
- Most of the men and some of the women have caps or hats on their heads. They are all different colors - some are red, some are green, and some are brown. That goes with what they are wearing. Some of the women are wearing aprons too.
- There is a man sitting and as the two men who are carrying the big tray of food - he is reaching over and grabbing one and putting one on the table.
- The wall kind of has a yellowish-golden brownish color to it and it looks like it was made from the earth and clay.
- Instead of chairs, they have benches that look like they were handmade.
- The brightest color that you see is the red and then the white.
- The bride looks upset and her husband, the groom, has a red beard.
- Other than that, everyone seems very happy to see one another and talking to one another.

The Harvesters
1565
Oil on wood
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City

This is one of the six paintings in a set of six that depict the seasons. 

Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, there is a big wheat field and there are people harvesting the wheat.
- There is a path in the wheat on the left side and there are people walking through it.
- One person is carrying a bucket and is walking towards the people - the other people further down the path are walking away.
- On the right side, there is a tree and beneath the tree are people. One man is sprawled out underneath it and appears to be taking a nap.
- Next to him, a little ways away, is sitting on a wheat bundle and she appears to be rocking a baby and talking to the other children. They are sitting on a wheat bundle.
- On the right side of the picture, there is a smaller section of the wheat field and there are three workers. Two are tying the bundles of wheat together and one is cutting the wheat.
- In the distance, it looks like there is a house and the house has lots of trees in front of it and a little ways into the trees, it looks like there is a little building along with smoke - or what looks like smoke.
- On the left side, there are workers - one is cutting and the other is tying the bundles of wheat together.
- All the wheat bundles are tied together at the top and look like they look like they look like legs. I guess you could say they look like a moustache too.
- These people are dressed in mute colors and nothing too bright.
- Most of the men have pants and shirts on; and the women all seem to have aprons.
- In the distance, you can see the ocean or a river, since they are on top of a hill.
- It looks like it is a nice day. In the distance, there are big, dark clouds that could be from an incoming or retreating storm.
- In the distance, near the river or ocean, there are towns or houses.

Parable of the Sower
1557
Oil on wood
Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, California

Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, there is a hill and on that hill there are trees and homes.
- In the distance, you can see the mountains. At the base of the mountains, there is a city and away from the city there are beaches - they are not very big and they don't look tropical.
- Above the mountains, there are clouds and it looks like a storm is coming in.
- On the hills, there is a house and there's a person walking up the hill with a basket in their arms.
- The forest has reddish and brownish colors to it - like there was a fire there.
- There's a church a little ways away and a road leading to it with people and maybe an animal with them.
- Beyond the church, there is the ocean and you can see ships coming in.
- Nobody is waiting for them at the church.
- The sky is a light blue where there aren't clouds. There are a couple of white, fluffy clouds.
- In the mountains, there is a valley or canyon in between them.
- The hill that the person is walking on looks kind of steep.
- All the houses are light-colored, and the city - if it wasn't being shadowed by the clouds - would look very light colored. I think there's a palm tree there.
- Really the only people are on the hills. The mountains seem more barren.
- There aren't very many people.
- There's a tree that got chopped down on the hill side.

The Wedding Dance
1566
Oil on wood
Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan

Olivia remembered:
- This is outside in the forest, and amongst the trees there are these huts with grass roofs. There are quite a few people and they all have kind of bright colors on.
- In the middle of the picture, you have a group of people dancing and some of the men are pot-bellied or chubby. You can see where they keep the pouches of money and these people look very well fed and happy.
- Near one of the huts on the right side of the picture, there looks like a kid and he has a big vase or urn and he's drinking out of it.
- Kind of right in front of him there looks like there are two people kissing.
- There are people playing bagpipes and appears that most people who are dancing are doing the same steps. Some people, though, are doing their own steps.
- In the background, there is an open field and there looks like there are rows of dirt. Next to the field (but within the trees) is a board and string tied to two trees with a cloth hanging over it.
- Next to the field is a woman and she has a big basket of something.
- There was a man standing on the right side of the picture, watching the dancing and he doesn't look too happy.
- Everybody again is wearing caps - at least the men are - and they are all different colors. The women appear to be wearing aprons.
- Bright colors - like blue and red with some black and dark green - are present.
- The trees look like they are mix of deciduous and conifers.
- Either the men only have tight clothing or that's how they like to wear it.
- You can't really see the sky, but you can see it is a blue.
- You don't see the married couple much.
- The grass is very green.
- There are people there who look like they are not enjoying themselves.
- Others look like they are having fun.
- There's a man who is standing to the side who doesn't look very happy.