Northern Renaissance · 1525–1569 · Flemish

Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Across 5 works, the colors are mostly brown (62%), black (11%) and yellow (8%). On average the canvases are mid-toned, moderately saturated and warm. Signature colors, used far more here than across the collection: muted lime green, dark amber brown, rich orange ochre, rich ochre and umber.

Color print

The swatches covering most of these canvases, averaged over every work, dark to light.

• MG 177 dark taupe 6.1% of canvas
• MG 168 dark amber brown 5.9% of canvas
• MG 219 bistre 5.4% of canvas
• MG 223 soot 5.0% of canvas
• MG 184 umber 4.6% of canvas
• MG 176 taupe 4.0% of canvas
• MG 167 brown 3.8% of canvas
• MG 185 dark golden umber 3.2% of canvas
• MG 183 golden umber 3.1% of canvas
• MG 057 muted lime green 2.9% of canvas
• MG 178 rich orange ochre 2.8% of canvas
• MG 175 stone 2.6% of canvas
• MG 058 muted green 2.5% of canvas
• MG 156 dark reddish brown 2.4% of canvas
• MG 161 rich scarlet brown 2.3% of canvas
• MG 171 bone 2.3% of canvas

Measurements

Lightness

0.50

Contrast

0.59

Vividness

0.049

Warmth

+0.98

Complexity

230 cells

Hue range

0.40

Focus

0.01

Composition

Averaged over 5 works: 50% of the visual weight in the left half, 52% in the lower half; symmetry 0.21; 7% calm space; half of the detail in 35% of the canvas. Measured from each image, not a rule the painters followed.

Works

• Netherlandish Proverbs, 1559
• The Triumph of Death, 1562
• The Hunters in the Snow, 1565
• The Blind Leading the Blind, 1568
• The Peasant Wedding, 1568