Peasants and Proverbs: Pieter Brueghel the Younger as Moralist and Entrepreneur

Pieter Brueghel the Younger (1564 – 1637/38) was a successful artist in his lifetime but his later reputation has been overshadowed by that of his famous father, Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c.1525 – 1569). This exhibition and book explore his practice, favoured subjects, and the market for them, gaining a more profound and compelling insight into the society in which he operated and its preoccupations and passions. A dozen other versions of Two Peasants Binding Firewood exist and the exhibition and book will explore how Brueghel the Younger operated his studio to produce and reproduce paintings, and the extent to which the entire enterprise was motivated by trends in the contemporary art market.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 108 pages
Publication date: 28 October 2022
Publisher: Paul Holberton Publishing Ltd

Pieter Brueghel the Younger (1564 – 1637/38) was a highly successful artist in his lifetime, but his later reputation has been overshadowed by that of his famous father, Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c.1525 – 1569). This catalogue accompanies an exhibition at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts that will shine a spotlight on Brueghel the Younger as a moralist and entrepreneur. Recent research into the Barber's comical yet enigmatic little painting, Two Peasants Binding Firewood, has revealed fresh insights and offered a new appreciation of a figure whose prodigious output and business skills firmly established and popularised the distinctive 'Brueghelian look of Netherlandish peasant life.

Born in Brussels, Brueghel the Younger was just five years old when his renowned father died prematurely. By the time he was around 20 years old, he was already registered as a master in Antwerp's Guild of Saint Luke. Between 1588, the year of his marriage, and 1626, he took on nine apprentices, demonstrating that he had established a successful studio. His workshop produced an abundance of paintings, ranging from exact copies of famous compositions by his father to pastiches and more inventive compositions that further promoted the distinctive Brueghelian 'family style, usually focused on scenes of peasant life. He was, as a consequence, later deemed a second-rate painter, capable of only producing derivative works.

This exhibition and book highlight how a more sophisticated understanding is now emerging of a creative and capable artist, and a savvy entrepreneur, who exploited favourable market conditions from his base in cosmopolitan Antwerp. From this deeper understanding of his practice, his favoured subjects, and the market for his work, we can gain a greater appreciation of his achievements and the impact he had on the art world.

Brueghel the Younger's paintings often depict scenes of rural life, with peasants engaged in various activities such as farming, fishing, and gathering. He was particularly skilled at capturing the humour and idiosyncrasies of peasant life, and his works often feature witty and satirical commentary on social and political issues of the day. For example, in Two Peasants Binding Firewood, the two peasants are shown struggling to bind a bundle of firewood, with one of them complaining that the other is not doing his share of the work. This painting is a commentary on the division of labour and the unequal distribution of wealth in society, and it highlights the social and economic challenges faced by many peasants at the time.

Brueghel the Younger's paintings were also popular with collectors and art dealers, and they were often sold for high prices. His works were exhibited in galleries and museums throughout Europe, and they were collected by royalty, nobility, and wealthy individuals. This popularity helped to establish his reputation as a leading artist of his time, and it contributed to the development of the 'Brueghelian look' of Netherlandish peasant life.

However, Brueghel the Younger's later reputation has been overshadowed by that of his famous father. While his father's works are widely regarded as masterpieces of art, Brueghel the Younger's works are often seen as derivative or inferior. This is partly due to the fact that his father's works were more widely known and appreciated, and partly due to the fact that Brueghel the Younger's works were often produced in a more commercial and populist style.

Despite this, Brueghel the Younger's works are still worth studying and appreciating. They offer a unique perspective on the life of peasants in the Netherlands during the 16th and 17th centuries, and they provide a valuable insight into the social and economic conditions of the time. They also demonstrate Brueghel the Younger's skill as a painter and his ability to capture the humour and idiosyncrasies of peasant life.

In conclusion, Pieter Brueghel the Younger (1564 – 1637/38) was a highly successful artist in his lifetime, but his later reputation has been overshadowed by that of his famous father, Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Recent research into the Barber's comical yet enigmatic little painting, Two Peasants Binding Firewood, has revealed fresh insights and offered a new appreciation of a figure whose prodigious output and business skills firmly established and popularised the distinctive 'Brueghelian look of Netherlandish peasant life. This exhibition and book highlight how a more sophisticated understanding is now emerging of a creative and capable artist, and a savvy entrepreneur, who exploited favourable market conditions from his base in cosmopolitan Antwerp. Brueghel the Younger's paintings are still worth studying and appreciating, and they offer a unique perspective on the life of peasants in the Netherlands during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Dimension: 210 x 210 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913645397