The Prints of Pieter Bruegel the Elder

15 April - 14 May 1989

Hours: 9:30a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Entry is permitted thirty minutes before the galleries are closed.
Closed: Closed on Mondays

Admission: charged

We are very pleased to be able to present this exhibition of the complete prints of Pieter Bruegel. Pieter Bruegel the Elder is one of the most important figures in sixteenth-century Flemish painting. He explore the surfaces and depths of the human condition with marvelous incisiveness and exposes the hypocrisy and vanity of society with a sharply satirical point of view. The spiritual vigor of his art still appeals to us today, losing none of its significance or illumination in the twentieth century. He used a large variety of themes in his work, including popular proverbs and fables, Bible stories, myths, and peasant customs, and each picture depicts the doings of human beings with great, and sometimes cruel, clarity.

This exhibition contains all of the 95 prints acknowledged to be the work of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. These prints, like the oil paintings, are richly expressive. They demonstrate the extent of his powers of thought and imagination. We hope that this will be an opportunity for many people to gain a deeper appreciation of the significance of Bruegel’s art. We also hope that this catdogue will prove useful as a basic reference in the study of Bruegel’s prints.

Finally, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to the Biblioth*que Royale Albert 1er, Brussels and the other collectors who have lent their valuable works of art to this exhibition and the many individuals and institutions who have provided such tremendous cooperation and support.