Bruegel's peasants: art and audience in the northern renaissance

Abstract

Folkloristic interpretations dominate the study of Peter Bruegel the Elder's art, and art historians generally assume that the “sayings of the folk” are the only ones relevant for understanding his paintings and prints. In contrast, this study examines Bruegel's proverb paintings and prints from the perspective of the audience most important to the artist. Using this new approach, it is concluded that folkloristic interpretations are inadequate since Bruegel's proverb art was in the mainstream of Renaissance interests and suited the enthusiasms of a humanist audience in the Low Countries in the 1550s and 1560s. The relationship between Bruegel's proverbs and the classical past was highly salient for his original audience, and any interpretation that adequately reflects their views must consider Latin and Greek proverbs as well as those in the vernacular.

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