Pieter Bruegel The Elder

Pieter Bruegel the Elder is one of the most important Dutch Renaissance painters of the 16th century and had a decisive influence on the subsequent Golden Age period. Little is known about his youth and family background. He probably began his training with the Antwerp artist Pieter Coecke van Aelst . Coecke was a respected and versatile artist with a large workshop. Bruegel stayed with him until the death of his master in 1550 and finished his apprenticeship. Then he himself was accepted as master in the Antwerp Lukas Guild. The following year Bruegel moved to Italy to continue his studies. Since Bruegel had the habit of signing and dating almost all his paintings, his journey and artistic development over the years can be traced very well. His itinerary was probably initially via France to Italy. In Italy, he travelled via Rome to Naples and then south to Calabria and probably also Sicily, as some of his drawings suggest. This journey lasted about two years until he went back to Rome in 1553. There he met the painter Giorgio Giulio Clovio . Clovio was strongly influenced by Michelangelo's work and was a close friend of El Greco . In Clovio's estate one later found various paintings and drawings by Bruegel. According to records, the two artists had also worked together on one of the works.