THE BEST OF PIETER BRUEGEL THE ELDER BRUEGEL AT THE KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM It was the most successful exhibition ever hosted by the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna: “Bruegel – Once in a Lifetime” made history. On show from October 2018 through January 2019, the world’s largest-ever exhibition of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30-1569), complete with sensational loans, presented three-quarters of the Flemish master’s extant paintings and around half of his surviving drawings and prints. Only about 40 paintings by him have come down to us, and 29 of them were displayed in Vienna. For all who have missed this extraordinary exhibition or who want to experience Bruegel again, his most important works, “The Best of Bruegel”, are always on show in the Picture Gallery of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. During his lifetime, Pieter Bruegel the Elder was already among the period’s most sought-after artists, with his works achieving exceptionally high prices. Only about forty paintings and sixty prints by him are all that has come down to us. The Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna houses twelve works by him, and thus the world’s largest and most important collection of paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. This fact is owed to 16th century Habsburg connoisseurs who already appreciated the exceptional quality of his works and strove to acquire these prestigious paintings. Among Bruegel’s masterpieces at the Kunsthistorisches Museum are celebrated panels like “Peasant Wedding”, “Children’s Games”, “Hunters in the Snow” and, of course, “The Tower of Babel”. These and other important paintings by Bruegel are displayed in the aptly named “Bruegel Gallery” (Gallery X) of the Picture Gallery. INSIDE BRUEGEL AN INTERACTIVE WEBSITE The comprehensive study of our Bruegel holdings proved a major factor in the exhibition’s outstanding success. In collaboration with the Technical University (TU) Vienna, we developed a unique “photo robot” to produce photographs that carefully document Bruegel’s handling and technique. Visit our interactive website www.insidebruegel.net to view these high-resolution images of all the paintings by Bruegel in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna. Even after the exhibition has closed its doors, the free website can still be accessed by art-lovers from all over the world – in this we are complying with one of Bruegel’s wishes, to look closely at his compositions: these sensational images allow us to focus on different parts of the paintings. Selected details are shown side by side in natural light, infrared reflectography and X-ray images. PRESS PHOTOGRAPHS Press photographs are available in the press section of our website free of charge, for your topical reporting: http://press.khm.at/. Bruegel Gallery (Gallery X) In the Picture Gallery of the Kunsthistorisches Museums Vienna © KHM-Museumsverband Bruegel Gallery (Gallery X) In the Picture Gallery of the Kunsthistorisches Museums Vienna © KHM-Museumsverband Bruegel Gallery (Gallery X) In the Picture Gallery of the Kunsthistorisches Museums Vienna © KHM-Museumsverband Bruegel Gallery (Gallery X) In the Picture Gallery of the Kunsthistorisches Museums Vienna © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) The Tower of Babel 1563, oak panel, 114 × 155 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) Peasant Wedding c. 1567, oak panel, 114 × 164 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) Hunters in the Snow 1565, oak panel, 117 × 162 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) Peasant Dance c. 1568, oak panel, 114 × 164 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) The Birdnester 1568, oak panel, 59.3 x 68.3 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) Children’s Games 1560, oak panel, 118 × 161 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) The Battle between Carnival and Lent 1559, oak panel, 118 × 164,5 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) The Suicide of Saul 1562, oak panel, 33.5 × 55 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) The Conversion of Saul 1567, oak, 108 × 156 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) Christ Carrying the Cross 1564, oak panel, 124 × 170 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) The Return of the Herd 1565, oak, 117 × 159 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525/30 – 1569) The Gloomy Day 1565, oak panel, 118 × 163 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Picture Gallery © KHM-Museumsverband OPENING HOURS AND ENTRANCE FEES Kunsthistorisches Museum Adults € 16 Maria-Theresien-Platz Concessions € 12 1010 Vienna Vienna City Card € 15 Groups (of 10 or over) € 12 Annual Ticket € 44 Tue–Sun, 10am – 6pm Annual Ticket under 25 € 25 Thu till 9pm Children and teens under 19 free During the special exhibition “Caravaggio & Bernini” (Oct. 15, 2019 to Jan. 19, 2020) as well as in the summer months June, July and August the museum is open daily. Online tickets are available at: https://shop.khm.at/en/tickets/ SOCIAL MEDIA Follow us on Instagram and Facebook and get the latest news about our exhibitions and our programme of events and lectures. facebook.com/KHMWien @kunsthistorischesmuseumvienna #kunsthistorischesmuseum PRESS CONTACT Nina Auinger-Sutterlüty, MAS (Head of department) Mag. Sarah Aistleitner PR, Online Communications & Social Media KHM-Museumsverband 1010 Vienna, Burgring 5 T +43 1 525 24 –4021 /–4025 [email protected] www.khm.at.