Home Bologna Brueghel Dynasty. The art, magical family tradition

Brueghel Dynasty. The art, magical family tradition

Palazzo Albergati, Bologna, Itay

Till 28 february 2016

“Brueghel. Masterpieces of the Flemish art” is the title of the exhibition that brings to life a story that began with the patriarch of the family, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, a whimsical artist who explored the human adventure touching with all shades of satire, of magic, of hyperrealism and a tragicomic perception of life.

An exceptional event for celebrating the golden age of Flemish painting through the exciting genius of five generations of artists who have marked the language and the trends of Western art. While in the ‘500 Italy of the Renaissance had its focus on the human figure of great artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Titian, art in the Flanders Province took a decidedly different course at the city of Antwerp, the prestigious center of culture.

Since he visited Rome, Naples and other cities, Italian painting was well known and and appreciated by Pieter, but unlike the Italian Renaissance, Pieter Brueghel magnified nature as fickle background that assumed the lead role and is hence illustrated with visual richness, meticulous attention to detail and a in a never expressed before style composition, creating what for centuries has been recognized as “the Brueghel Brand“.

Examples are his Dance of the farmers, The Resurrection and the masterpieces of his descendants like Pieter Brueghel the Younger with his Wedding Dance, The Seven Acts of Mercy and Allegory of the Four Elements; Abraham Brueghel with his Still life with fruit in a landscape where he represents the life of a simple humanity, artisan with his newspaper and its shadows, the peasants’ vices or merchants, but also the joys.

Bruegel. The most famous family of art history

In addition to the works of the Master, visitors can also admire the paintings of his two sons: the eldest, known as Pieter the Younger (1564-1638), imitator of his father; The second son, called Jan the Elder (1568-1625), much appreciated for its landscapes and for the floral still life. Exposition continues with Jan Brueghel the Younger (son of Jan the Elder), the author of landscapes and floral arrangements; cousin Abraham Brueghel (1631-1697), son of Pieter the Younger, said the Neapolitan because of the long stays in Naples, ending with Ambrosius Brueghel, specialized in still lifes with flowers.

Finally, a prestigious selection of artists: Frans de Momper, Frans Francken, Hendrick van Balen, Jan van Kessel the Elder and Joos de Momper who have collaborated to enrich one of the most fruitful and fascinating centuries of art history, along with members of the Brueghel family, excellent teachers of the detail and experts in the pictorial art of “photographing” the characters, the animals, the flowers and the tools of the campaign.

The exhibition is ordered into six focus groups. First section; Moral judgment, between salvation and condemnation, where Resurrection (‘500, Brueghel the Elder) and The Seven Deadly Sins Hieronymus Bosch (1563, Hieronymus Bosch, his teacher) are compared. The second section; Queen nature. The third section; Soldiers and hunters in the winter light. Fourth section; Stories of travelers and merchants. Fifth section; Allegories, tales of wonders. Sixth Section; Splendor and vanity of silent life. Seventh section; The dance of the lasts. In the last session we can admire The Wedding Dance outdoors and The Pentecost Bride by Pieter Brueghel the Younger.
The exhibition is curated by Sergio Gaddi and Andrea Wandschneider, director of the Städtische Galerie in der Reithalle Paderborn, under the patronage of the Municipality of Bologna. Staging and Arthemisia Group organization. Catalogue Skira.