The Man Himself

Bruegel was born in Breda, Netherlands to a southern Netherlandish family of artists that were active for four generations in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Early in his career, Bruegel settled in Antwerp and stayed there for most of his life. Antwerp was both the center of publishing in the Netherlands during the sixteenth century, and a vibrant commercial capital. Here, Bruegel became both a painter and draftsman, joining the Painters’ Guild of Saint Luke sometime between 1551 and 1552. His impact was widespread and long lasting due to the combination of the continuity of the family trade, as well as the print industry that developed after his works. Many of Bruegel’s paintings focus on the lives of Flemish commoners, earning him the nickname “peasant Bruegel.” However, this is a misnomer as Bruegel was not of peasant birth. Breugel’s main patronage came from scholars, wealthy businessmen, and connoisseurs.