Brueghel the Younger, Jan

Jan Brueghel the Younger was the son of Jan Brueghel the Elder (also known as “Velvet Brueghel”), by whom he was considerably influenced. Brueghel the Younger became well known for his landscapes, allegories, religious subjects, flower pieces and still lifes. Born in Antwerp in 1601, he received his earliest training from his father. In 1622, Brueghel visited Milan with an introduction to Cardinal Federico Borromeo, an important friend and patron of his father. He subsequently visited Genoa and Palermo. At the beginning of 1625, he learned of Jan Brueghel the Elder’s death, and returned to Antwerp in order to take over his studio.

Brueghel the Younger became a master of the Guild of St. Luke in 1625, and married the daughter of the painter Abraham Janssens in 1626. He became a Dean of the Chamber of Rhetoric in 1630. During this period he was also appointed Dean of the Painter’s Guild. Like his father, Brueghel the Younger often collaborated on paintings with other artists, including Henrik van Balen, Peter Paul Rubens, and Josse de Momper. Moreover, he was often responsible for the ornamentation in paintings by Rubens, Jansens and van Balen.