size of the original painting: 2 feet x 3.5 feet
Imagine waking up in the 1500’s to this Netherland’s village by the sea. It’s a perfectly normal day, right? The farmer, shepherd, and fisherman have all begun their day’s work. What do you think they are thinking about? Who is part of their family? What do they eat?Some people think this painting wasn’t actually painted by Bruegel; they think it’s just a copy of his original. Scientists have used special technology to look under the paint and are convinced Bruegel made it with his own hands. Whoever is right, one thing is for sure: the idea and composition definitely belong to Bruegel.
Think about This:
• Can you find the village across the sea?
• How many ships can you find?
• Do you see a forest and mountains?
• How many different animals did Bruegel put in this painting?
• What do you think the farmer will plant here?
• Do you think the fisherman comes fishing here every day?
Meet the Artist:
We don’t know the exact day Pieter Bruegel the Elder was born, but his art makes him unforgettable. He is especially known for painting landscapes and peasants (things most artists didn’t paint at this time).
Pieter’s earliest paintings look like Search and Find pictures filled with crowds of people—like this one. Maybe he got tired of drawing so many people because his later paintings only show a few people in each scene!
Fun facts about Bruegel:
• Nobody knows about Pieter’s parents and siblings or where he was born. Some people think he was a peasant because he painted so many of them. Other people think he was highly educated.
• Unlike most Dutch painters, Pieter never did portraits.
• People loved Pieter’s paintings and liked to collect them.
• Both of Pieter’s sons (Pieter the Younger and Jan) also became artists, but since Pieter died when they were young, their grandma taught them how to paint.
Where in the world: The Netherlands
