This richly illustrated publication explores the diversity and innovation of a legendary dynasty of Flemish painters over four generations.

From the peasant festivals and proverb pictures of Pieter Bruegel the Elder and his son Pieter Brueghel the Younger, to the exquisite flower paintings and paradise landscapes of Jan ‘Velvet’ Brueghel, to the captivating cabinet pictures of Jan van Kessel the Elder, the Bruegel family played a fundamental role in many of the key artistic developments of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The book investigates themes common throughout the generations, such as an enduring interest in the natural world and the role of close observation from life. Its new research findings also unravel practical mysteries, exploring how Bruegel’s sons were able to produce multiple versions of compositions inspired by their father’s model.

Nearly five hundred years have passed since the birth of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, but the energy, influence and inventiveness of his unique family remain unrivalled in the history of art. This illuminating book redefines our appreciation of its artistic legacy and is an essential read for scholars and non-specialists alike.

This book accompanied the first ever exhibition devoted to the Bruegel dynasty in the UK, presented in February 2017 by the Holburne Museum.