Page 6 - Barry McGlashan | Natura Naturata | 2020 | E catalogue

Atlas of The Human (cat 2)
oil on canvas 96 5 x122cms 38 x x 48 ins
I I suppose in in in in in in in in in many ways this this painting painting is is is the the the starting point on on the the the map of this this exhibition it it was the the first painting painting I I began when thinking about that journey Here Bruegel is is is is is working on on his his his series of of paintings of of the the months so so this places us us in in in in in in Brussels about 1565 On the the the easel is is is is is is his his his his Hunters in in in in in in in in in The Snow with its beautiful endlessly soaring magpie I included the the the the pair of Mangabey monkeys from his his Two Monkeys painting which he he he he he he made in in in in in in in Antwerp Historically they they would normally represent human folly but for me me they they say something here here of Bruegel’s apparent kindness and and care towards his his fellow beings There is is is is is such a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a humanity in in in in in in in in in his his his his work work he he he he paints real people going through everyday triumphs and and and tragedies He repeatedly depicts ‘the everyman’ in in in in in in his his his his work work and and specifically in in in in in in his his his his drawing of the the the the the same name which can be seen on on his his his table along with with other references such as the the the the the ostrich egg engraved with with the the the the image of of Diogenes carrying a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a lantern in in in in broad daylight looking for his his honest man These nods to classical antiquity were commonplace at this time - think of of Michelangelo and the Laocoön Of course the the the the presence of of those monkeys the the the the ostrich egg the the the the Chinese landscape landscape drawing hanging on on the the the the the the left - and and and does that vertical stretch of of of landscape landscape in in in in in in in in Hunters in in in in in in in in The Snow not feel like something from eastern painting - all all allude to other aspects of of of Bruegel’s world: the the the sense of of looking outward exploring as as as as trade routes would have brought never before seen treasures into Europe One of of Bruegel’s friends was the the the famous cartographer Abraham Ortelius I saw many books of of of of his maps when visiting the the the the the the Museum Plantis-Moretus in in Antwerp He created the the the the the the first modern atlas Theatrum Orbis Terrarum or or or or or ‘theatre of of of of of the the the the the the orb of of of of of the the the the the the world’ and I can’t help but think think of of of of of of those beautiful maps - - works of of of of of of art in in in in in in in themselves - - when thinking about Bruegel’s depiction of of of of space in in in in in in in in his paintings Objects and events are often ‘plotted’ across the the picture surface which seems tilted upwards like like a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a stage just as those maps would lay out terrain So poring over a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Bruegel painting with all that inherent meaning can almost feel like like reading rather than looking As viewers this tilting of space places our viewpoint way up above the the the unfolding events We are observers over the the the entire creation for evermore with a a a a a a a a a a a God’s eye eye view view view or or or maybe just the the the eye of that soaring magpie