DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48088#0576
JAN BREUGHEL THE ELDER.
It is only during the last few years that correct information has been obtained respecting
the life of the most conspicuous member of the numerous artistic family of Breughel. The pro-
genitor of the family, Pieter by name (called the peasant Breughel, on account of the almost too
natural boxing scenes, by which he founded that school of Belgian genre-painting, subsequently
carried to perfection by the husband of his grand-daughter), was born in a village of North Brabant,
called Breughel, after the old manner of writing. He took the name of the village, and this
has subsequently been adopted by the various members of his family, the orthography “Breughel”
being incorrect.
Jan Breughel was born in 1568, at Brussels, where his parents lived. His mother was
Marie Coucke, the daughter of the celebrated Architect, Pieter Coucke, who died on the 6th of
December, 1550. From his widow, Marie de Bessemers, little Jan, who had lost his father in
1569, learnt the elements of painting, but was afterwards instructed in oil-painting by Pieter
Goetkint, the elder. This painter died in 1583, and therefore cannot have completed his art
education, but it is not known to whom this honour may be assigned. He soon went to Italy,
and we find him in August 1593 in Rome, where he was drawing in the Colosseum. Here he
made the acquaintance of the Cardinal Federigo Borromeo, who valued him highly, and remained
attached to him through his life; as late as the year 1621, the cardinal ordered four pictures
from Breughel, representing the earth and the air, which are now to be seen in the Louvre,
whilst the other two must have been returned to the Ambrosian Library at Milan.
After his return to Antwerp, Breughel was received into the painters’ guild of St. Luke, and
also entered the brotherhood of the Romanists. In 1602, he was governor of the first mentioned
guild, and in 1609 of the second, whilst amongst the new members, presented to him at the
festive banquet, we find the name of Rubens, who had just returned from Italy. On the 23rd of
January, 1599, he married Izabel de Jode, the daughter of the engraver on copper, Gerard de J ode,
then in her twenty-second year. In September, 1601, his eldest son was born, and named after
him Jan. He also became a celebrated painter, and the similarity in name has led to a confusion i
between the works of the father and son. He was also in Italy, he returned con the 12th ,
of August, 1625, and married, on the 5th of July, Anna Maria Janssens, the daughter of the 1
well-known painter Abraham Janssens van Nuyssen, and through her mother Sara, the grand- !
daughter of that Pieter Goetkint, who had been the teacher of his father, the elder Breughel.
37*
It is only during the last few years that correct information has been obtained respecting
the life of the most conspicuous member of the numerous artistic family of Breughel. The pro-
genitor of the family, Pieter by name (called the peasant Breughel, on account of the almost too
natural boxing scenes, by which he founded that school of Belgian genre-painting, subsequently
carried to perfection by the husband of his grand-daughter), was born in a village of North Brabant,
called Breughel, after the old manner of writing. He took the name of the village, and this
has subsequently been adopted by the various members of his family, the orthography “Breughel”
being incorrect.
Jan Breughel was born in 1568, at Brussels, where his parents lived. His mother was
Marie Coucke, the daughter of the celebrated Architect, Pieter Coucke, who died on the 6th of
December, 1550. From his widow, Marie de Bessemers, little Jan, who had lost his father in
1569, learnt the elements of painting, but was afterwards instructed in oil-painting by Pieter
Goetkint, the elder. This painter died in 1583, and therefore cannot have completed his art
education, but it is not known to whom this honour may be assigned. He soon went to Italy,
and we find him in August 1593 in Rome, where he was drawing in the Colosseum. Here he
made the acquaintance of the Cardinal Federigo Borromeo, who valued him highly, and remained
attached to him through his life; as late as the year 1621, the cardinal ordered four pictures
from Breughel, representing the earth and the air, which are now to be seen in the Louvre,
whilst the other two must have been returned to the Ambrosian Library at Milan.
After his return to Antwerp, Breughel was received into the painters’ guild of St. Luke, and
also entered the brotherhood of the Romanists. In 1602, he was governor of the first mentioned
guild, and in 1609 of the second, whilst amongst the new members, presented to him at the
festive banquet, we find the name of Rubens, who had just returned from Italy. On the 23rd of
January, 1599, he married Izabel de Jode, the daughter of the engraver on copper, Gerard de J ode,
then in her twenty-second year. In September, 1601, his eldest son was born, and named after
him Jan. He also became a celebrated painter, and the similarity in name has led to a confusion i
between the works of the father and son. He was also in Italy, he returned con the 12th ,
of August, 1625, and married, on the 5th of July, Anna Maria Janssens, the daughter of the 1
well-known painter Abraham Janssens van Nuyssen, and through her mother Sara, the grand- !
daughter of that Pieter Goetkint, who had been the teacher of his father, the elder Breughel.
37*