Peter Breugel the Elder was a prominent painter and printmaker during the Flemish Renaissance. Born exactly eight years after Martin Luther’s 95 theses was posted on the doors of the church and during the Italian Renaissance, historians argue on his exact birth place. The three places that historians believe that Breugel might be from include the cities of Breda, Bree, and Breugel. His background largely influenced his work because he had humanist ideas from the Renaissance, and he was exposed to Protestant faiths from Dutch’s neighbor, Germany. One brilliant painting that was influenced by his background is known as The Tower of Babel. The Tower of Babel was part of a three part series painted by Breugel, and the other two parts of the series are called Ivory Sculpture of the Tower and Little Tower of Babel. However, the later painting of series is now lost in history. The Tower of Babel is the painting that I will be analyzing and it is the second part in the three painting series. The Tower of Babel was created in 1563 and it measures 114 cm X 155 cm. This painting was created using oil paint on a panel. The painting portrays the iconic tower of Babel that was referenced to in the book of Genesis. This tower has symbolic meaning to both Jewish and Christian followers. The subject is on top of a hill that oversees a construction site. In the painting, one sees a city surrounding the tower and the ship-filled harbor that is used to transport materials to the construction yard. The style of the painting is seen in the colors used. Peter Breugel uses gentle colors such as bright red and a light blue. The overall painting is moderately bright and uses small, yet gentle strokes. The first time we view the tower present in the painting, we immediately are exposed to the Lone tower that was built from the ground of the city. This is obviously the major focus of the painting; however we do see several minor details in the rest of the painting. As we take a step back and look at the “big picture”, we see a man giving craftsmen instructions to guide them on the building of the tower. This is significant because it symbolizes Nimrod from Biblical times. Nimrod was responsible for being the leader of the builders of the tower. The viewer is also exposed to the ships sailing in the sea of the background. Through further research on Breugel’s work, we see that the painting was inspired by the Roman Coliseum, which portrays the great glory and accomplishments of Rome. The Tower of Babel has an immense religious significance. For instance, the tower was built to bring men to God’s home. Unfortunately, God destroyed the tower and made the men speak different languages. This led to the lack of communication, and the birth of new languages. The major aspect of the tower covers the theme of identity. For instance, the tower gave men names as well as a different amount of authority over each other, which is how different social classes were formed. Also, the tower depicts the narcissism and arrogance of mankind. This led to making thinking that they were good enough to be with God. Another religious topic that the painting covers is the
