Bruegel, Part One

True to Life: Prophet for All Seasons

Pieter Bruegel stands out as the greatest novelist-painter in history. He closely observes the rich pattern of life unfolding around him and in true-to-life style ruthlessly paints his vision of man and the world, stories of village life (The Battle between Carnival and Lent), peasant life (The Wedding Dance, The Harvest), the city (The Tower of Babel), war (Mad Margot) and the Gospel (The Procession to Calvary). The film-makers investigate Bruegel's paintings together with our time, by using contemporary photographs. In this way they demonstrate how Bruegel's time differed little from our own - a mirror image which can leave no viewer unmoved.

`... most enlightening in the way the viewer is taken step-by-step to the nucleus of these vast panoramas, a process that provides a means of critically studying any work of art. The graphics are top rate, especially when used in the analyses. For example, parts of a painting are faded out to focus in on what is being emphasized, or paintings are divided by graphics to illustrate composition. Bruegel's Tower of Babel is given a side-by-side comparison with photos of the Colosseum of Rome (where Bruegel travelled) in order to depict their similarities and resemblance ... accessible to both those without an art education background and those with previous experience ... a wonderful acquisition for both school and public libraries alike.' Video Rating Guide for Libraries, USA

© 1998-2001 The Roland Collection & Pira Intl.