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Video: The secret meanings of Bruegel's visual "Flemish proverbs": Reflection of the essence of man and being
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Master of the Northern Renaissance Bruegel the Elder is a Dutch Renaissance painter and printmaker known for landscapes and peasant scenes. He was sometimes called the "peasant Bruegel". He depicted his incredible Dutch proverbs over 450 years ago. Also known as The Upside Down World, this painting is a detailed masterpiece visually representing over 100 Dutch proverbs.
The plot of the picture
This 16th century oil on oak canvas measures 64 by 46 inches, depicting a multitude of miniature men, women, children and animals performing a number of unusual and bizarre activities in their village. Individual scenes are played side by side, without direct dependence on each other. The backdrop for all this varied activity consists of a farmhouse, dilapidated huts, a stone bridge with columns and a tower, a village square in the center, and a manor house among cornfields. In the distance you can see the open sea shining in the sun. The old name of the painting "The World Upside Down" comes from the globe, standing on a symbolic head. This is intended to illustrate that people are in a world in which everything is not how it should be.
The idea of the painting
Bruegel is known for his elaborate work, and what at first seems like a simple peasant life with a wide range of characters soon turns out to be something more. This is a riot of painting, expressing a witty look at the human essence through the implementation of various Dutch proverbs of the time. Wise sayings testify to the folly and sinfulness of a person in a crazy world who turned away from God.
Historical background
What caused the historical background of painting? During this period, Bruegel experienced troubled times. He lived in a country under Spanish Catholic rule, where the shadow of the Spanish Inquisition was looming, where religious absolutes were now the choice of the Reformation. Numerous political repressions for religious reasons, the Dutch uprising, the battle led by Protestants against the Habsburg rule … Part of this pessimism (and partly cynicism) penetrates into the artist's art and into the painting "Flemish Proverbs".
"Flemish Proverbs" can be read as a study of religiosity. This is a godless landscape, where moralistic proverbs allow the viewer to comprehend what is happening. The religious views of Bruegel himself are unclear - he had humanistic patrons and associates, but he was not openly against Catholicism or Protestantism.
Analysis of proverbs
Bruegel hid his proverbs in characters, buildings and landscapes in a very ingenious way. Part of Bruegel's images is conveyed through color. For example, in the case of a woman dressed in red in the center of the picture, it is impossible to read the proverb without understanding the color symbols. In 1559, when the piece was written, red was the color of sin. At the same time, the blue cloak she wears over her husband tells the other half of the story. Blue often meant deception or stupidity, which tells us: this woman is not just giving her husband's coat, but rather cheating on him!
Whatever is used by the artist to indicate his idea (whether it be a woman in red putting on a blue cloak on her husband, or a pillar using religious hypocrisy, an innkeeper deceiving others, a two-faced woman carrying fire and water), Bruegel draws attention to their stupidity and exposes her.
Continuing the story about the genius artist of the Renaissance "Children's games" by Bruegel the Elder, which children played 5 centuries ago and are played today.
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