Bruegel. The Originals
Pieter Bruegel The Elder’s masterpieces at the RMFAB
On the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the death of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium celebrate the great Renaissance master through an exhibition and innovative digital projects.
THE PERMANENT COLLECTION
Pieter Bruegel the Elder is one of the most famous painters from the Renaissance period. Yet only about forty paintings from his short career (he died in 1569, around the age of 40) have been preserved, making them rare and extremely valuable. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium house the second largest ensemble of Bruegel the Elder paintings in the world. At the Old Masters Museum, you can admire several of his paintings: The Fall of the Rebel Angels(1562), the Winter Landscape with a Bird Trap and Skaters (1565), the Census at Bethlehem (1566) and the Adoration of the Kings. In addition, several copies by his sons and other (anonymous) followers allow you to further explore this brilliant artist’s oeuvre.
Discover the Bruegel collection in gigapixel on the Google Arts & Culture platform here
DISCOVER MORE
In 2016, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium launched Bruegel Unseen Masterpieces, together with Google Arts & Culture and seven international institutions.
Dive into the world of the painter and discover his genius talent through three digital experiences:
BRUEGEL BOX
The Bruegel Box lets you live inside Bruegel’s work: three immersive videos – each dedicated to one painting – are projected on three walls, floor to ceiling. We invite you to get shoulder-to-shoulder with the villagers of Bruegel’s Proverbs (1559), face to face with the palm reader of the Sermon of Saint John the Baptist(1566) or have The Fall of the Rebel Angels (1562) at your fingertips.
VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONS
You can explore Bruegel’s masterpieces, his life, influences and legacy through 12 virtual exhibitions offered on interactive screens throughout the Old Masters Museum. Each one brings together paintings, texts, archival documents, as well as audio and video clips, so you can gain in-depth knowledge about Pieter Bruegel the Elder and experience the real-life artworks in a new way. These exhibitions, as well as 7 additional ones, can also be accessed on the Google Arts & Culture website.
Discover the virtual exhibitions in the Old Masters Museum or on the Google Arts & Culture platform
CARDBOARD EXPERIENCE
The Google Cardboard viewer provides a unique virtual reality experience focusing on The Fall of the Rebel Angels. With this 360° experience, the painting comes to life in front of your eyes: you too become one of Bruegel’s creatures.
Find the virtual reality experience here
For optimal experience, a “cardboard viewer” can be purchased at the Museum Shop (€10).
During official Bruegel Guided Tours, cardboard viewers can be loaned from the museum.