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Pieter Brueghel the Elder. The fall of the rebellious angels

Pieter Brueghel the Elder

1562

unspecified

From the collection of Catholic University of Leuven

Northern Renaissance Renaissance Renaissance

Dominant colour

Pieter Brueghel the Elder. The fall of the rebellious angels is a 1562 unspecified by Pieter Brueghel the Elder, a Northern Renaissance work, held at Catholic University of Leuven.

Who painted this?: Pieter Brueghel the Elder
When & what style?: 1562 · Northern Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Catholic University of Leuven

About this work

You see a swirling sky packed with angels tumbling headfirst. Some look like skinny kids. Others have bat wings and clawed hands. A big red monster with a crown chews on one. The chaos isn’t random. Brueghel painted evil as ugly, funny even. He hid tiny details: a fish with legs, a knight’s armor rusted. Check out how Brueghel I used impasto. Thick paint makes the monsters pop off the panel.