25 Things in 2025 - Thing #14

[smallhobbit]

Read book on Brueghel

I had planned to finish this in September, which I would have managed had I started reading it in April, but I didn't begin until June, so I've only just finished now.  But it's still done within the year.

This book has almost all the paintings by Brueghel the Elder.  I had requested it as a Christmas present, and had read up on a few of the paintings, but this time I worked all through the book.  The paintings themselves are wonderful - very detailed and certainly worth looking at closely.  The book was semi-interesting, helpfully pointing out details not to be missed, but at the same time the theological interpretation was very much of the author and extremely narrow-minded.  Every painting was examined in the same way, and I frequently disagreed with the interpretation.

Having said that, I didn't want the book for the commentary, but to have the paintings and the challenge this year was to look properly at them, so I was happy with the outcome.

Comments

[meridian_rose]

I'm glad you were able to take something away from the book even if the rest irritated you! I think I remember the cover from a previous series of posts you did where you posted covers without comment? :)

[smallhobbit]

The major part (the paintings) was very interesting and why I wanted the book, so it was worth it. Yes, I included it last year when I'd recently received the book.

[bunn]

Oh, I remember that painting on the front cover hanging in the hall at my primary school. I always thought it had so much going on. How lovely to have the whole book of works!

[smallhobbit]

That painting is one of a series of six, showing peasant activity throughout the year. I like the way no character is there simply as part of a group, but everyone has a reason to be there.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Interesting! Sometimes it's nice to be able to see those kind of paintings up close and without hurry.

[smallhobbit]

Oh, definitely. And there's so much to see in each of Brueghel's paintings that it is worth taking the time to look at them.