Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Peasant Wedding

oil on canvas, 114 x 164 cm (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna)
Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker
. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.

[@adelaidewatts1813]

The bride’s perfect contentment is adorable. His ability to convey happiness is amazing.

[@peroz1000]

Genre paintings are fascinating because they allow us a glimpse into the ways people lived all those centuries ago, and Brueghel is their undisputed master.

[@stevenleslie8557]

I really like listening to you two. Your voices are so calming.

[@squamish4244]

Brueghel compellingly portrayed the full range of experience in peasant life, from the hardships to the celebrations. Superb.

[@ozzymandi]

Some art historians believe that the fashionably dressed man talking with the priest may be a self portrait of the artist himself. There are in existence some engravings portraying Breughel that bare a resemblance to the man in the painting that may give weight to support this hypothesis.

[@bnkundwa]

This is one of the best paintings which calls us to react.

[@nickstoli]

The line from the movie Down by Law comes to mind, "it's a sad and beautiful world."

[@Sasha0927]

Aww, I love the subject of this painting. It's nice to see real, even poor (like me - lol), people being the focus for a change. There's so much joy and fellowship, it's lovely. 🥰 "We can inhabit this world with them in a wonderfully intimate way." Exactly! Well said.

[@darklingeraeld-ridge7946]

The spoon in the hat. The belt of the little boy boy in the foreground, lifted off his waist, with a little knife on it. All the weapons present, glimpsed at diagonals. The strongly rounded forms of the figures, with the exaggerated perspective in places like the arm of the figure passing plates. The placement of feet under the table, and the dog's head seeking scraps. The bovine self satisfaction of the bride, under her mock - halo. Everywhere the particularity of robust observation that is at once critical, that of an outsider, travelled artist, and one who knows these people, these situations, intimately.

[@wiggles3238]

no

[@CHAS1422]

You forgot the dog under the table looking for the scraps. Loved you video and explanation. Thanks

[@Elomere]

really nice work...thanks!

[@walkerkickz7951]

thx! needed this for school

[@onaygonzalez8410]

I enjoy a lot the way you guys explain every single painting. would you make a video of Children's games by Brueghel?

[@Soppsleven]

There is also two people kissing in the hayloft above it all, the flutes of the bagpipes are pointing at them. Thx for the lovely video :)

[@smarthistory-art-history]

So glad you liked it. Are you certain about the people kissing up there? I Haven't seen the painting is a while but don't remember that detail-though it would be fun. Here is a very large image and I can't see them though I do see some timber framing, perhaps a cloth draped over a beam, and perhaps the top of a ladder leaning against the back side of the hayloft. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Peasant_Wedding

[@Soppsleven]

The part is only visible through certain filters, i think it was ultraviolet. It has has changed color with time and it has made it almost impossible to see with our eyes.

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Found it! Wonderful. Thank you. insidebruegel.net/#p/v=udroom&lan=en&d=infrared&i=tutorial&b=project&a=1027&x=s:3_l:2_v1:1027,vis_v2:1027,irr

[@Soppsleven]

It's mentioned in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4uxd3WLbNSKj9k

[@jackwardrop4994]

Yes but they are not just kissing. The pipes of the bagpipes point to them . Won’t be able to see it here. To Breughal, bagpipes were symbols of sex. So the inside joke is that the bride is already pregnant.

[@r.v.b.4153]

2:10 It's nowadays known as the region of Flanders, but it was not part of the County of Flanders shown on the map. Antwerp is historically part of the region to the east of Flanders; Brabant.

[@annagriffin2865]

Fascinating insights! PS: Where’s the groom?

[@minnowpd]

Left center , yelling. He's older , a wealthy man, he's no prize. She's a frump. and that chainsaw of a mother in law!

[@jasonadams3297]

I grew up looking at this painting, I always loved it. all the faces and expressions. But what always caught my attention was the unusual amount of feet underneath the dinner tray guys? have a look! Are there the right amount of feet?

[@HH-xf9il]

What’s with the extra foot under the unhinged door that’s used to deliver the plates of porridge ?? It must have a meaning

[@pjcallens]

just saw your question - and I've wondered that for yrs as well...

[@kirschrot77]

Is the old man in high backed chair the groom?

[@johnsewell6593]

I wonder if S.Clay Wilson studied Bruegal. That's who I instantly thought of when I first viewed these absolutely breathtaking masterpieces. Maybe mentioning someone like Wilson will be thought of as blasphemy when mentioned in the same breath as a master such as Bruegal. I do NOT think so. Keep an open mind...oh ,Why is he referred to as "the elder"..........JRS

[@TacoBot5000]

I believe this was much more of a dig at peasant life. The whole crowd is clearly depicted as drunkards/simpletons in a fairly undignified manner. This is wedding for God's sake. The man you identify as the land owner seems to be the only sophisticated depiction in the bunch (some liken him to Bruegel himself). After all, who would be the intended audience for this piece? Piece it together ya'll

[@JohnJohnson-kg4ek]

Dude, it's a party, of course everybody is drinking and having a good time!