Report:
Artist: Pieter Bruegel the Elder Nationality: EnglishDate: 1563 Title: Tower of Babel Genre: Religious Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 114 x 155 cm (Tower of Babel, 2016).
Pieter Bruegel Pieter Bruegel I, referred to as Pieter Bruegel the Elder is a notable artist from the southern Netherlandish family of artists that were active during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Bruegel, the astoundingly inventive painter, ushered in a humanizing spirit with his works. He was born between 1525 and 1530 in or near Breda. His compositions were sophisticated and brilliantly organized . There is very little known bout Bruegel as the scanty records cover a very limited period of his life. His life and work are mired in controversy. A document from 1566 records artwork by Bruegel and among those is the Tower of Babel .
Description (what I see)
The painting, ”Tower of Babel” is a massive composition that requires complete focus from the view who may take several moments to absorb the elements of the artwork. It shows a doomed tower that is tilted towards one side and seems to under construction. At first look, it is evident that there are several minute details in the artwork. Part of the building is complete while a part seems under construction. Some portions of the building lie in ruins.
At first look, one’s attention is drawn by the massive structure with spiraling ramps in cream and the top interiors that are done in a tint of muddy red tone. There are ladders and scaffolds in different parts of the building where the workers are busy with their tasks. The meticulous details show that the artists had elaborate knowledge of building techniques. Bruegel has shown the finely dressed officials who are ignorant of the poor construction of the building, which is falling apart. There are workers around that are kneeling down or working with the slabs of stone. Behind the tower, there is a vast landscape filled with houses and greenery. One can see hills in the distance and shrubs and trees. The sky is blue and covered with white clouds on one side. A piece of cloud floats across the top of the tower, thus pointing to the massive height of the building. There is a water body towards the right of the artworks and it could be a lake or a huge river. One can see boats near the edges.
The tower stands in a vertical line that is tilted towards one side. A horizontal line crosses the canvas behind the towers at the horizon and another one in front of the building. The shapes are natural and organic. The artists creates a powerful perspective and atmosphere by showing people in the foreground, the horizon in the background and the tower is placed in-between. The artists has used several different colors to show the intricate details. However the dominant color on the canvas is the creamy white of the tower, the upper muddy red portions and the green of the vast landscape. The painting belongs to the Renaissance time period and is from the Bible, Genesis book 11 verse 3 .
Analysis (How did the artist do it?)
Pieter Bruegel painted the Tower three times, and the tower structure stands as a figure of authority. Bruegel liked to every detail and with precise exactness in his work. The countless tiny figures and intricate vegetation show the insignificance of mankind in front of the gigantic proportions of the tower. Bruegel’s composition makes for a learned conversation as the “TheTower of Babel” is a decorous example from Old Testament that speaks of the dangers of miscommunication . The artists place the tower near a densely populated town. There is a river to the right, and there are buildings and fields, hills which are randomly dispersed over the huge landscape. The looming towers over the vast town hint of a disaster. The torqued tower seems to be bulging because of its weight and poor construction .
There is no symmetrical balance in the artwork as the Tower tilts to one side. The artist has used a vast palette to show the intricate details, but the prominent colors are of the tower, the sky behind and the landscape. Still, the colors seem to complement each other and seem to be in harmony. The emphasis of the artist is to the tower and the surrounding town and landscape. He wants to show helplessness of the humans against the natural phenomena. It is his fascination with the movement that has led him to capture the moment of falling figure in a pictorial concept. The rule of thirds in the artwork emphasizes on the Tower. Artists often use the guide to keep the picture within a rectangle, or square. The focal point is the Tower which is in the middle of the artwork and slightly towards the left and covers the upper part.
Interpretation (what I think about when viewing the image)
I find the painting awesome, simply because of the detailed work on the canvas. Still under construction, the tower soars high up in the sky. It is the scientific exactness shown by the artist that forces the viewer to go through each part of the artwork closely, carefully and slowly. The artists wants to show helplessness of the humans against the natural phenomena. Because of the tilt in the tower, there is a tension in the artwork. It is as if something is about to happen in the scene and if the tower falls, massive destruction is to be expected. I believe that the painting is in line with Humanism because during that time people were trying establish and accomplish by building this tower. It shows that people could take on gigantic tasks if they wanted. The circular shapes structure with its minute details looks very interesting. Bruegel’s painting is certainly intriguing and can keep one interested. The iconography of the Tower of Babel in social terms reflects the cultural challenges faced by the cosmopolitan centers in those times. It is indeed amazing to see so many details and so many men in the work, carrying various temperaments. On a closer inspection, the ant-like laborers are working hard and busy working on the mountainous rock, making a complete transformation of nature. The spiral ramp around the tower rises upward and the man-made foundation made out of rock pile tries to touch the skies. However, no level is complete, but there is lot going on at each level. Bruegel’s Tower of Babel art can be interpreted in so many ways. The Tower is a symbol of man’s efforts and the monumental challenges he faces from the forces of nature.
References
“The Tower of Babel” by Pieter Bruegel. (2013). . (2013). Retrieved from jensenbrand. : https://jensenbrand.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/the-tower-of-babel-by-pieter-bruegel/
Edwards, J. (2013). Still Looking For Pieter Bruegel the Elder. University of Birmingham. University of Birmingham, 1-122.
Inside the Masterpiece: Pieter Bruegel’s “Tower of Babel”. (2011). Retrieved from artinfo.com: http://blogs.artinfo.com/secrethistoryofart/2011/02/08/inside-the-masterpiece-pieter-bruegels-tower-of-babel/
Kaminska, B. (2016). Come, let us make a city and a tower. Retrieved from jhna.org: http://jhna.org/index.php/past-issues/vol-62-2014/295-tower-of-babel-and-harmonious-community
Kemp, W. (2016). The Rule of Thirds in landscape painting. Retrieved from willkempartschool. : http://willkempartschool.com/the-rule-of-thirds-in-landscape-painting/
Tower of Babel (1563). (2016). Retrieved from Encyclopedia of Art Education, : http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/famous-paintings/tower-of-babel.htm
Wisse, J. (n.d.). Pieter Bruegel the Elder (ca. 1525–1569). . Retrieved from metmuseum : http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/brue/hd_brue.htm
