Humanistic Didactic Morality in Brueghel's “Netherlandish Proverbs”
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
"Netherlandish Proverbs" by Pieter Bruegel the Elder is a form of didactic humanistic morality. Bruegel’s caricatured figures in a village landscape act out 80 to 100 individual scenes of social ills based on Greek and Latin proverbs from Erasmus’ “Adages.” Bruegel intended his work to encourage morality in society through the negative examples of socials ills such as social inequality and deception. Interestingly, he encouraged morality without attaching it to religious subject matter. This irregularity can be explained by Erasmus’ Christian humanistic influence as well as the tumultuous religious nature of the times.
Presentation Type
Event
Location
Learning Commons @ Perry Library, Room 1306
Start Date
2-13-2016 9:00 AM
End Date
2-13-2016 10:00 AM
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Humanistic Didactic Morality in Brueghel's “Netherlandish Proverbs”
Learning Commons @ Perry Library, Room 1306
"Netherlandish Proverbs" by Pieter Bruegel the Elder is a form of didactic humanistic morality. Bruegel’s caricatured figures in a village landscape act out 80 to 100 individual scenes of social ills based on Greek and Latin proverbs from Erasmus’ “Adages.” Bruegel intended his work to encourage morality in society through the negative examples of socials ills such as social inequality and deception. Interestingly, he encouraged morality without attaching it to religious subject matter. This irregularity can be explained by Erasmus’ Christian humanistic influence as well as the tumultuous religious nature of the times.
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Faculty Mentor: Dr. Anne H. Muraoka