Jan Bruegel
Born – Antwerp, Belgium 1568
Died – Antwerp, Belgium 1625
Jan Bruegel was the son of Pieter Bruegel. He made a prolonged visit to Italy in 1590 during which Cardinal Frederigo Borromeo became his patron. In 1595 he travelled with his patron to Milan where the Cardinal was appointed Archbishop. In 1596 Bruegel returned to Antwerp. He was a highly accomplished painter, who drew inspiration from flower, landscape and Garden of Eden subjects. His landscapes were different from his father’s, the younger man specializing in small wooded scenes, featuring an array of animals and mythological figures. His mature style reveals a painstaking attention to detail, which elicited the admiration of his contemporaries, including Rubens, with whom he collaborated. In Still Life of Flowers the bloom has been arranged with meticulous precision. Bruegel has carefully selected the flowers for their differing sizes and textures, reinforcing the balanced compositions through his use of strong chiaroscuro. His ability to conjure the smooth surfaces of petals and the polished finish he applied to other subjects, led to his nickname, “velvet” Bruegel. His son Jan the Younger (1601-1678) was also a painter.
Masterpieces:
- The Garden of Eden
- A Basket of Flowers with a Silver Gilt Tazza
Text: The A-Z of Art, Nicola Hodge and Libby Anson.
Books About jan bruegel
50 Color Paintings of Jan Bruegel (Brueghel) the Elder - Flemish Baroque Painter (1568 - January 13, 1625)
Jacek Michalak
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Jan Bruegel The Elder
Denise Ankele
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Jan Brueghel the Elder: The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark (Getty Museum Studies on Art)
Arianne Kolb
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