The exciting rediscovery in Spain of a missing canvas by Pieter Bruegel
the Elder (ca. 1525-69) has jolted a revived public awareness of this
great Flemish painter. Best known for his amusing depictions of
peasants, landscapes, and Bosch-like fantasies, Bruegel also created a
wide range of highly original interpretations of religious themes in an
era marked by religious controversies. Over a career of two decades as
both a printmaker and a painter, he found his artistic niche in Europe's
leading center of international trade, the emerging capital of
capitalism, Antwerp.
This new full-length study examines all works by Pieter Bruegel,
including the new Madrid canvas, within the wider setting of art during
his lifetime. All of his drawings, prints, and paintings on both canvas
and panel are examined for form and content with comprehensive analysis.
In addition, interpretation of the full range of Flemish paintings and
prints during his generation is presented through the lens of Hieronymus
Cock, Bruegel's own print publisher, At the Sign of the Four Winds.
Within this spectrum Bruegel's uniqueness and mastery emerges clearly.
While scholars will appreciate the novel insights of this comprehensive
re-examination of Pieter Bruegel, its highly accessible text will
introduce newcomers and the general public to the delights of this
inventive, trenchant, yet often amusing visual commentator on the human
condition. All readers will relish the large-scale reproductions and
frequent details in full color of his entire oeuvre in all media. This
handsome, large-scale volume will form the definitive study and
accessible introduction to the life and art of Pieter Bruegel.
