Bruegel Artist Study

For your Bruegel artist study, a collection of art prints is essential. You will need at least six and possibly twelve or more. Charlotte Mason recommended studying one piece of art each week for an entire term. Some people alter this format and take a unit study approach. Others (like us) study a work of art daily. The choice is yours. The main point is to be consistent in exposing your children to fine art of one artist so that they become familiar with that artist's style.

Here are some very famous paintings by Pieter Bruegel. These would give a good overview of his types of work. Either save these to your computer and look at the screen, or use a print version such as the book linked below. Because of the detailed nature of Bruegel's paintings, using a print version is preferred. Often the digital images are inadequate for narrowing in on the small vignettes in each work of art.

These paintings are taken from Olga's Gallery, a wonderful art resource.

1. Peasant Wedding
Notice the detail images taken from Peasant Wedding.

2. Children's Games
Notice the detail images found on the overall Bruegel page.
A great addition to the study of this piece is this video showing the games in this painting.

3. Numbering (Census) at Bethlehem

4. Tower of Babel

5. Hunters in the Snow

6. Haymaking
Find detail images here.

7. The Flemish Proverbs

8. The Adoration of the Kings

9. Landscape with Christ Appearing to the Apostles at the Sea of Tiberias

10. The Bay of Naples

11. Two Chained Monkeys

12. The Corn Harvest

Art Reproductions
Because of the extreme detail in so many of Bruegel's paintings, if you choose to create a reproduction, it may be best to zero in on a small area. Select just one or two people to sketch. Otherwise a reproduction may feel truly overwhelming.



Art Analysis
Choose a piece of art to study intently. The paintings with a myriad of people work well with this activity, something like a Renaissance "Where's Waldo?" Use a magnifying glass if necessary to identify all the nuances of activity going on. Research Renaissance activities portrayed in the paintings, make lists, or write descriptions.

Writing Assignments
Choose a couple of characters in a painting and tell a story about them, based on what you see. Use your imagination and maybe even tie their story into that of other people pictured in the painting.

When at all possible, include a visit to an art gallery into your artist study. Seeing art in person is a different experience from seeing prints in a book.

In 2011 my daughter and I had the opportunity to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City where we saw original paintings by Bruegel among other great artists. It was a fabulous experience, one that our years of Charlotte Mason artist study prepared us for.

To locate Bruegel originals in museums, visit Artcyclopedia's list.