Jan Brueghel

Jan Brueghel was a prominent painter in his hometown of Antwerp, a good friend and frequent collaborator of Rubens. What is perhaps less well known is that Jan was also an exceptional draughtsman.

At the Snijders&Rockox House in Antwerp, some seventy works by Jan Brueghel have been brought together to create a unique exhibition. These drawings hail from collections held around the globe, including print rooms in Berlin, Paris, New York, Amsterdam, London and Stockholm, and is the first time they have all been on view together, presenting a significant cross-section of Jan Brueghel’s authentic drawn oeuvre. Jan Brueghel – A magnificent draughtsman has been created by the publishing firm BAI, in collaboration with the Snijders&Rockox House to celebrate this exhibition.

The book includes a biography, essays by Dr.Teréz Gerszi and Dr Wood Ruby on his draughtsmanship and six chapters in which the drawings are discussed according to their theme: sojourning in Italy, riverside and village scenes, study-sheets, roads and travellers, views of the sea and ports and coastal scenes, and impressions while travelling. The authors also place Brueghel’s draughtsmanship within the context of his complete works and the times in which he lived, in the process signalling relationships and making enlightening comparisons.