Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568 - 1625)

The Fleming Jan Brueghel the Elder was the second son of the famous painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder. In 1589, he travelled to Italy where he was to remain for a number of years. His earliest work dates back to 1592-1594 in Rome, where he met his fellow countryman Paulus Bril, whose landscapes had a tremendous influence on him. He painted his first co-productions with the German Hans Rottenhammer. From that moment on, working with other artists played a major role in his career.

Jan Brueghel de Oude

At the end of 1596, Brueghel was again living in Antwerp, working closely with a number of artist friends including Hendrik van Balen, Joos de Momper and Peter Paul Rubens. Initially, he painted crowded landscapes, but then moved on to specialise in paintings with animals and flower still lifes. The artist used meticulous preliminary sketches drawn from nature and created a powerful portrayal of reality. This earned him the nickname ‘Velvet Brueghel’.