About his painting themes that actively reflect farmers' life and revolutionary struggle, it can be roughly divided into the following aspects:
One is to use the plot of man's struggle with the devil described in folk stories to compare the politics of his time;
Second, we should choose appropriate biblical stories as painting themes, alluding to Spain's reactionary rule and the Dutch people's revolution, often using exaggerated methods;
Third, show folk customs and farmers' lifestyles, and reveal his feelings for farmers.
Bruegel's main work "The Peasant's Wedding"
The Farmer's Wedding actively reflects the ordinary and warm life of farmers and is full of sincere feelings. In order to adapt the picture to the simple atmosphere of the countryside, the artist deliberately made all the characters' clothes monotonous, greatly diluted the light and shade, and even omitted the shadows.
In addition, the artist's superb skills in composition and color setting are equally amazing. He showed the scene of people getting together to eat in the form of showing the depth obliquely from one end of the dining table, and the space effect was very good. He applied the most advanced diagonal composition method at that time. Hanging only one green curtain on the wall makes the bride and the householder stand out, and makes the theme very concentrated, which makes the audience feel that although it is a banquet for ordinary farmers, it is filled with a grand and even sacred atmosphere.
A hunter in the snow
This is a far-reaching landscape painting with human activities. The painter seems to be standing at the top of the mountain looking at the hunter at the foot of the mountain and looking at the panorama through the hunter. The hillside and the horizon cross each other diagonally, forming a changeable slope extending into the valley.
Due to the proper perspective, the picture has a profound sense of space. The dynamic and static processing of the picture is very clever. Dense trees stand in the foreground like silhouettes, the sleeping earth is covered with snow, solemn and quiet, while hunters and clever hounds cross the forest, skaters on glaciers in the distance and birds flying in the air make the quiet Shan Ye full of vitality.
Painters basically use the contrast of black, white and gray to shape nature, people, air and light, giving people a cold feeling. Anyone who is familiar with the geographical environment in Europe thinks that what the painter describes is the characteristics and beautiful features of the Dutch terrain. Bruegel's affectionate description of nature made him the founder of Dutch national realism landscape painting.
The fable of the blind
In the biblical story, Jesus said to the Pharisees: They are blind guides; If the blind leads the blind, both of them will fall into the pit. ? Dutch folk proverb also says: the blind lead the blind, and they are unlucky together.
In the fable of the blind, the painter painted a vivid scene for us: six blind people supported each other and moved from upper left to lower right along the diagonal of the picture, but they didn't know they were in danger. The first blind man in the lead fell into the ditch, and the next one was dragged out of balance. Waiting for other blind people is the same fate. The painting is permeated with the painter's disappointment with the Nederland revolution and philosophical thinking about the fate of mankind, which is of universal significance to life and society.
The image language used by the painter is very appropriate and profound. A group of blind people who are full of personality and self-righteousness undoubtedly walk side by side. The background is peaceful and quiet nature, towering churches and neat farmhouses shaded by green trees. Cattle are grazing quietly under the tree, and a group of happy swallows are playing and chasing around the church. The world is so beautiful, but the blind are still blindly walking their own life path. As long as the first one falls, the group behind will definitely fall into the pit. Because they couldn't figure out whose fault it was, they had to blame each other.
Some people think that Bruegel's painting is one of the peak works of European painting in16th century. The true artistic image contains profound philosophy, which is Bruegel's artistic feature. Both the natural scenery and the characters he created have the authenticity of Dutch real life. Even if it is exaggerated, it is not divorced from the reality of life.
Tower of Babel
Bruegel painted the Tower of Babel at the age of 38, which was his first painting since he moved to Brussels.
According to the genesis of the Old Testament, it is said that the descendants of Noah moved to a great plain between the Tigris River and the Euphrates River in South Asia. Because their ancestors were frightened by the flood and worried about another flood, they built a tall tower in Qixin to keep all the staff safe forever. The tower climbed higher and higher until it reached heaven, which angered God. God decided to use magic to disturb the language of tower builders, so that people could not communicate with each other and build towers. This is the source of Christianity's interpretation of different national languages.
The painter painted the Tower of Babel with a grand composition. Babel? ), the height of Babel is represented by clouds, and the relationship between people and things, people and the environment is depicted by genre paintings. The painter described many people's activities with meticulous brushwork techniques and techniques, thus revealing the power of people to overcome nature.
What does the painter show in this biblical fable painting? Providence? The irreconcilable struggle between people and between man and nature in transforming the world is heroic and full of tragedy.
Bruegel's character evaluation From the pictures, people may think that Bruegel's paintings are not as idealized and perfect as those of Latin Italians. In fact, this artistic view of not avoiding ugliness and looking directly at real life itself is his value. Later, Caravaggio School in Italy, Spain? Podgonai? Feng, hals and Rembrandt in the Netherlands, French and19th century realistic art were all influenced by him.