River Landscape

Jan Brueghel the Elder prints bring the jewel-like detail and glowing colour of Flemish painting into your home: bouquets bursting with flowers, garlands around the Madonna, the Garden of Eden filled with animals, and busy village roads. Known as "Velvet", "Flower" and "Paradise" Brueghel, he was the son of Pieter Bruegel the Elder and a close friend and collaborator of Rubens. Our collection of fine art prints covers his flowers, landscapes, river views and paradise scenes.

About Jan Brueghel the Elder

Jan Brueghel was born in Brussels in 1568, the younger son of the great painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, who died the next year. After his mother's death in 1578 he and his brother, Pieter Brueghel the Younger, lived with their grandmother Mayken Verhulst, herself an artist, who gave them their first lessons in drawing and miniature painting. He then studied oil painting in Antwerp.

Around 1589 he travelled to Italy, working in Naples and then in Rome from 1592 to 1594, where he befriended the landscape painter Paul Bril and met Cardinal Federico Borromeo, an important collector. He followed Borromeo to Milan in 1595 as part of his household, and the cardinal remained a lifelong patron.

Back in Antwerp, Brueghel married in 1599 and became the leading painter of the city alongside his friend Rubens, with whom he made many joint paintings. He was court painter to the Archdukes Albert and Isabella, rulers of the Spanish Netherlands, and invented new kinds of pictures: flower garlands, paradise landscapes and gallery paintings. He died in Antwerp on 13 January 1625.

Style and Subjects

Brueghel painted on a small scale with extraordinary precision, often on copper, so that every petal, feather and leaf is crisp. His velvety textures earned him his nickname.

His flower pieces gather blooms from different seasons into one glowing bouquet. His landscapes lead the eye through blue distances, with tiny figures on roads, rivers and in villages, and his paradise scenes are crowded with animals. He also made reworkings of his father's peasant scenes.

Famous Works

• The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Park of Mariemont (about 1601), Museo del Prado, Madrid. The archduchess at her country estate, painted for the court.
• Bouquet of Flowers in an Earthenware Vase. A dense bouquet of spring and summer flowers, typical of his flower pieces.
• The Garden of Eden with the Fall of Man (about 1615), Mauritshuis, The Hague. Painted with Rubens, who did Adam and Eve while Brueghel painted the animals and landscape.
• The Five Senses (1617–1618), Museo del Prado, Madrid. Allegories of the senses in rooms full of objects, painted with Rubens.
• The Virgin and Child Encircled by a Garland of Flowers. A flower garland around a Madonna, one of the genres he invented.
• Adam and Eve in Paradise. Animals of every kind gathered in the Garden of Eden.
• A Winter Landscape with Skaters on a Frozen River. Villagers gathering wood and skating on the ice.

Decorating with Brueghel Prints

Brueghel's flower pieces are perfect for dining rooms, kitchens, living rooms and entryways, where their rich colour glows against dark or neutral walls. A print such as Flowers in a Wan-Li Vase looks especially fine in a black or gilt frame.

His landscapes and village scenes suit a study, library or hallway, and the paradise pictures, full of animals, are lovely in a family room or child's bedroom.

FAQ

Why was Jan Brueghel called "Velvet Brueghel"?

The nickname is believed to come from his mastery in painting fabrics. He was also called "Flower Brueghel" and "Paradise Brueghel" for his flower pieces and paradise landscapes.

How was Jan Brueghel related to Pieter Bruegel the Elder?

He was the younger son of Pieter Bruegel the Elder and the brother of Pieter Brueghel the Younger. His own son, Jan Brueghel the Younger, was also a painter.

Did Jan Brueghel work with Rubens?

Yes. He was a close friend of Peter Paul Rubens and they painted many works together, such as The Garden of Eden with the Fall of Man and The Five Senses.

What new types of painting did Brueghel invent?

He invented flower garland paintings, paradise landscapes and gallery paintings showing collections of art.

Where can I see Jan Brueghel's paintings?

Major works are in the Prado in Madrid, the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan, the Hermitage and many other museums.

Related Artists

• Pieter Bruegel the Elder: his father
• Pieter Brueghel the Younger: his elder brother
• Jan Brueghel the Younger: his son and successor
• Peter Paul Rubens: close friend and frequent collaborator
• Joos de Momper: Flemish landscape painter who collaborated with him