Disability Art: Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Now our first artist that represents disability art is Pieter Bruegel the Elder. He is referred to as many different nicknames such as the “Peasant Bruegel” but the most common is the Elder. The Elder established his mark in history through paintings and printmaking, and came to be known as one of the Netherlandish Renaissance painters.

            He became known for his landscapes and his peasant scenes which are called genre painting. This is when your artwork has a certain theme throughout it all. He usually would incorporate a landscape into his peasant scenes, which helped bring both of his genres together.  Part of the reason he earned his nickname “Peasant Bruegel” was that he had the practice of dressing up like a peasant in order to socialize at certain functions in the community such as weddings and celebrations. This practiced helped him gain inspiration and details for these paintings.

            The unusual part about him painting these scenes was that no one cared to paint the peasants during this day and age. Mainly the only people who would have their portrait painted was royalty, but he enjoyed showing others what every day for a typically person was like. It would make sure everyone saw the good, the bad, and the ugly. His mindset helped establish disability art before it was officially created and given a genre.