The Brueghel Family Exhibition

The very name Brueghel renders this exhibition a great event. Suffice it to say, from the artistic circle presented here, there are but a few paintings from Polish collections– among them "The Sermon of Saint John The Baptist” in the Czartoryski Museum in Cracow and “The Winter Landscape with Skaters and a Birdtrap” in the National Museum in Wrocław. Both of them are replicas of paintings by Pieter the Elder painted by his son, Pieter the Younger.

We have the opportunity – for the first time in Poland – to see the works of artists much admired by centuries of collectors. The importance of the presented works of art within the history of European painting from the 16th, 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries makes this exhibition truly exceptional. The artistic creativity of the Flemish masters celebrates an important tradition and the infinite potential of European culture. Through painting, the Old Masters developed a particular symbolic code that was the subject of fascination by their contemporaries and inspired many of their followers. The attention they paid to mundane matters and spirituality alike, their almost documentary style, thanks to which the customs, landscapes, scenes of every-day life of a common man was preserved for posterity, are today an important source of information about the era. Even today a spectator is easily seduced by their sense of humour, irony, painting artistry and precision. Even today we ponder on the symbolic content included in these paintings.

The exhibition of over 100 masterpieces (including over 80 paintings) presents the Brueghel oeuvre spanning over 200 years of creation by this famous artistic family. Beginning with – and yet another treat –the Hieronymus Bosch painting „Seven Deadly Sins”, the tension between the Human Being and God’s Laws in particular, was, if not the biggest, certainly one of the most important inspirations for Pieter Bruegel The Elder – the founding father of the entire painting dynasty. Not only did his sons become painters who followed in his tradition, but also his grandsons, great-grandsons and in-laws. The paintings of Pieter Bruegel The Elder were very popular and already valued during his lifetime, and after his death became most sought-after. Thus promptly after his death there were replicas of his works on the market, some by his son, Pieter the Younger. The name Brueghel became synonymous with quality. The younger generations continued with the creative development of their legacy.

Wrocław Exhibition accounts for almost the entire genealogical table of The Brueghels. The exhibition includes the painting “Resurrection” by the founding father of the family, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, works by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, among them „Seven Acts of Mercy”, and works by his brother, Jan the Elder, including those co-painted with Pieter Paul Rubens, and his highly valued, famous floral compositions. The exhibition includes works by Jan the Elder’s son, Jan the Younger and their most talented progenies until the final distinguished members of the dynasty, Ambrosius Brueghel and Jan Pieter Brueghel.

These masterpieces of the Brueghel Dynasty will be presented in Poland for the first time and it is truly a unique opportunity to view and appreciate them since the majority of them are on loan from private collections throughout the world.

The Brueghel Dynasty Exhibition was first conceptualized and developed by Joseph Guttmann, Director of Global Art Exhibitions, Inc. This exhibition is part of an international initiative organized by The City Gallery in Wrocław and Art For Public association of Prague with cooperation of The City Museum of Wrocław and The Foundation of City Gallery in Wrocław. After its venue in Rome the Brueghel Exhibition will be presented at The Royal Palace in Wrocław from the 23rd of July until the 30th of September 2013. The Brueghel Exhibition is then scheduled to travel to Paris after which the paintings will once again become inaccessible to the public at large.

Video from the exhibition:

Photos:
https://www.facebook.com/galeria.miejska/photos/?tab=album&album_id=499785676764517

More photos:
https://www.facebook.com/galeria.miejska/photos/?tab=album&album_id=507111092698642