Storm at Sea is an oil painting on panel attributed the Netherlandish Renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder, painted c. 1569. It is held in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, in Vienna.
Description In the past doubts have been raised about the attribution of this painting to Bruegel: the name of Joos de Momper, a landscape painter who became a master in the Antwerp guild in 1581, has been mentioned.Cf. Entry with video critique . See also, I. Haberland, "Momper, de" Grove Art Online. Oxford University Press. However, not only is this painting superior to any by de Momper; its similarity to a drawing by Bruegel (in the Courtauld Institute of Art) and its originality of composition and delicacy of execution have made it generally accepted as a late work by Bruegel, possibly left unfinished at his death.
The prominence of the barrel and the whale has led the painting to be associated with the contemporary saying:If the whale plays with the barrel that has been thrown to him and gives the ship time to escape, then he represents the man who misses the true good for the sake of futile trifles.Cf. Complete list of paintings which includes all of the 100 proverbs from the painting, with explanations This sense would be underscored by the church outlined against the horizon, which stands for safety amid the storms of life.Cf. Pietro Allegretti, Brueghel, Skira, Milano 2003.
See also List of paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder
References
External links The Storm at Sea at the KHM Kunsthistorisches Museum's Official Website Bosch Bruegel Society 99 works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder Creativity Brueghel laid the foundation of the Netherlands School