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Indepth Arts News:
"The Printed World of Bruegel the Elder"
1999-12-05 until 2000-02-13
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
Memphis, TN,
USA United States of America
Primarily recognized as a painter, Pieter Bruegel the Elder (ca.
1527/28 - 1569) was also
an influential and prolific designer for the leading print publishers of
Antwerp. Many of his
works were transferred into prints by famous printmakers during his
lifetime and for many years
afterward. The Printed World of Bruegel the Elder provides a rare
opportunity to view the rich
and varied imagery of one of the most celebrated artists of the 16th
century as interpreted by artist
of his day. Comprising 65 etchings and engravings from a private
collection, the exhibition is on
view through February 6, 2000.
Bruegel's gift for observation combined with his abundant imagination
are reflected in
prints based on his celebrated Alpine landscapes, as well as his seascapes,
depictions of peasants,
allegories, satires, and relevant interpretations of the Biblical
Scriptures. With the exception of
The Rabbit Hunt (1560), thought to be the only print Bruegel ever etched
with his own hand, all
of the works in the exhibition were executed by printmakers after Bruegel's
drawings and
paintings. Hieronymous Cock of Aux Quatre Vents, one of the most famous
printings houses in
Europe collaborated with Bruegel and employed professional engravers and
etchers, including
Pieter van der Heyton, the brothers Jan and Lucas van Duetecum, Frans Huys,
and Philipp Galle
to reproduce Bruegel's drawings.
Barbara Butts, former curator of paintings, drawings, and photographs,
The Saint Louis
Art Museum, has organized the exhibition chronologically. Most of the works
in the exhibition
were made during Bruegel's lifetime, including rare prints such as The
Kermis of Saint George
(1559-60) by Jan or Luca van Duetecum and Naval Battle in the Strait of
Messina (1561) by
Franz Huys.
Several compositions were translated into print shortly after his
death, such as the famous
Spring (1570) and Summer (1570) by van der Heyden, as well as a few fine
examples etched in
the 17th century by Hendrick Hondius, Two Carnival Fools (1642) and Rustic
Wedding (1644).
The exhibition is organized by The Saint Louis Art Museum. The
national tour is
organized by the American Federation of Arts. Support has been provided by
David J. and Linda
Pohs Supino. In conjunction with the exhibition, The Saint Louis Art Museum
has published a
fully illustrated catalogue with essays by Barbara Butts and Joseph Leo
Koerner, professor in the
Department of Fine Arts at Harvard University.
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF ARTS
Celebrating its 90th anniversary in 1999, the AFA is the nation's oldest
and most comprehensive
non-profit art museum service organization. The AFA provides its more than
550 member
institutions with traveling art exhibitions and educational, professional,
and technical support
programs developed in coalition with the museum community. Through these
programs, the
AFA seeks to strengthen the availability of museum to enrich the public's
experience and
understanding of art.
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