Page 22 - Barry McGlashan | Natura Naturata | 2020 | E catalogue

Low and High Countries (cat 4)
oil on panel (triptych) 90 90 90 90 x x x x x 70 70 / / / / 90 90 90 90 x x x x x 90 90 90 90 / / / / 90 90 90 90 x70 cms 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 x x x x x x 271⁄2 271⁄2 ins ins / / / / 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 x x x x x x 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 / / / / 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 351⁄2 x x x x x x 271⁄2 271⁄2 ins ins In his his late late 20’s Bruegel made a a a a a a a a a a a a a a pilgrimage of sorts: travelling from his his native Netherlands to to spend two years in in in in in Rome – much in in in in in the the the same way that artists would later do do in in in in in the the the era of of of The Grand Tour and and indeed as as many of us still do as as art art students today An early biographer of of Bruegel Karel van Mander wrote of of this journey in 1604:
‘On his travels he he he he he drew many views from life so that that it is is said that that when he he he he he was in the Alps he he he he he swallowed all all those mountains and rocks which upon returning home he spat out again onto canvases and and panels so faithfully was he he able in this respect and and others to follow Nature ’ When in in in in in Rome he he he stayed with an an an an artist friend Giulio Clovio Clovio an an an an illuminator and miniaturist Clovio Clovio was was greatly influenced by by by Michelangelo who by by by this point was was well into his his his his seventies and and and Bruegel Bruegel must have seen his his his his great great works whilst in in in in in in in in Rome But judging by by by the the drawings and and and prints Bruegel Bruegel made about his his his his journey apparently the landscape was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a far greater influence on him him Those impressive Alpine views would stay with him him in in in in in his his his work for the rest of his life Across the the the three panels of of of of Low and and High Countries I imagined that journey of of of of the the the young Pieter Bruegel: walking out of of of of of his homeland consuming the the the the majesty of of of of of those frozen Alps and and and down into the the heat of of of Italy Faithfully with and and and following nature