Bruegel Kunst Historisches Vienna .
I was fortunate to obtain a timed ticket to see this world renowned exhibition of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. I’d never much identified with him or his work, but now I’m converted. Bruegel Kunst Historisches Vienna
Joining the well managed audience, I was able to study all of Bruegel’s works.
Two hours later I was left awe-struck by the virtuosity, talent and enigma of this artist and the empathy engendered within my psyche.
Details of the little known facts of Bruegel’s life can be found easily (for example), my experience concentrated on appreciating the development of his style and an attempt at understanding his depiction of his subjects and my interpretation.
Much work it could be said, is fairly straight-forward eg ‘Peasant Wedding’ and ‘Peasant Dance’.
Even most of his religious work left me reasonably confident of my interpretation. ‘The Tower of Babel’ for instance
and ‘The Conversion of Saul’.
Gloriously executed, full of detail, fantastic examples of early landscaping and perspective, expert use of colour, tone, form and composition. Bringing the stories alive and giving them humanity, identification and purpose for me, the spectator.
But was my confidence misplaced? Maybe I had got the wrong end of the stick? Perhaps there was more complexity to his seemingly simple realisations.
So it was with such as ‘The Triumph of Death’
and ‘Dulle Griet‘ …
… that the strangeness overwhelmed and I could then appreciate why this exhibition was so invaluable to Bruegel affectionados. Bringing together in close proximity such puzzles, conundrums and mysteries.
This to me was the biggest message. Like modern conceptual art, Bruegel was inviting me to work hard at making my own discoveries – of him and me. To delve into my own psychology. To work it out for myself what it meant to me. I’ll not listen to the theories and missives of the experts. He is speaking personally to me across the centuries for me to explore … me.