The Kermis at Hoboken
Maker
(artist)
1525-1569
1525-1569
Title
The Kermis at Hoboken
Date of Production
1559
Medium
traces of black chalk or charcoal, pen and brown ink, incised for transfer (recto), the verso prepared with black chalk or charcoal (only remaining around the edges), on laid paper
Dimensions
Height: 26.6 cm
Width: 39.4 cm
Width: 39.4 cm
Accession Number
D.1947.LF.45
Mode of Acquisition
Arthur Hamilton Lee, bequest, 1947
Credit
The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)
Location
Not currently on display
Keywords
Related Works
Label Text
Pieter Bruegel created this detailed drawing as a design for an engraving. Celebrated for his vivid depictions of peasant life, Bruegel here shows revelers at a festival in the Flemish village of Hoboken, near Antwerp. Amidst scenes of drinking and dancing and figures relieving themselves, an archery contest is precariously underway. The secular and the religious co-exist. At the upper left a chamber of rhetoric presents a performance whilst a statue of a saint is carried at the head of a religious procession.
The lively kermis or patron saint’s feast, teems with scenes of drinking and dancing, whilst the statue of a saint is carried aloft in a procession.
The popularity of the resulting print greatly added to Bruegel’s reputation, as he was widely celebrated for his vivid representations of peasant life. The original copper plate would be reprinted for almost two centuries.
The lively kermis or patron saint’s feast, teems with scenes of drinking and dancing, whilst the statue of a saint is carried aloft in a procession.
The popularity of the resulting print greatly added to Bruegel’s reputation, as he was widely celebrated for his vivid representations of peasant life. The original copper plate would be reprinted for almost two centuries.
Provenance
Sir Kenneth Mackenzie of Gairloch; his sale, Sotheby's (London), 15-16 February 1921, lot 216; Henry Oppenheimer, London (1859-1932); his estate sale, Christie's (London), 10 and 13-14 July 1936, lot 223; purchased there by Matthiesen Gallery (Berlin); exhibited at Slatter Gallery (London) 30 November 1943 - 8 January 1944, no. 45; returned to Matthiesen Gallery (Berlin) and purchased there by Lord Lee of Fareham (1868-1947), 1944 (though the 2012 catalogue says from Slatter, see note below); Lee Bequest 1947
The Lee inventory form indicates the drawing was back at Matthiessen in April 1944 and therefore only temporarily exhibited at Slatter and purchased from Matthiessen.
The Lee inventory form indicates the drawing was back at Matthiessen in April 1944 and therefore only temporarily exhibited at Slatter and purchased from Matthiessen.
Exhibition History
Drawings Gallery Display - Traces: Renaissance Drawings for Flemish Prints, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 18/06/2022-25/09/2022
Bruegel: the hand of the Master, Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna, 02/10/2018-13/01/2019
Drawings Gallery Display - Bruegel / Not Bruegel, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 16/01/2016-17/04/2016 ...More
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, The Frick Collection, New York, 02/10/2012-27/01/2013
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/06/2012-09/09/2012
Special Display - Drawing Peasants, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/09/2010-10/02/2011
The world of Bruegel: the Coppée Collection and eleven international museums, Tobu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, 1995
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
The Age of Breughel, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. and J.P. Morgan Library, New York, 02/11/1986-05/04/1987
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
The Age of Bruegel: Netherlandish drawings in the sixteenth century, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. and Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, 1986
Mantegna to Cezanne - Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 24/02/1983-19/06/1983
Bruegel: une dynastie de peintres, Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels, 18/09/1980-18/11/1980
Flemish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, October 1977-January 1978
Pieter Bruegel der Altere als Zeichner, Herkunft und Nachfolge, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Preussischer Kulturbesitz Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin, 19/09/1975-16/11/1975
unnumbered typescript - title was possibly 'A Selection of Drawings from The Witt/Courtauld Collections [as exhibited in 1964 at University of Sussex, Falmer]', Nottingham University, 1966
Between Renaissance and Baroque: European Art 1520-1600, Manchester City Art Gallery, 1965
Pieter Brueghel and his circle, Slatter Gallery, London, 30/11/1943-08/01/1944
Exhibition of Belgian and Flemish Art 1300-1900, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1927
British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, London, 1925 ...Less
Bruegel: the hand of the Master, Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna, 02/10/2018-13/01/2019
Drawings Gallery Display - Bruegel / Not Bruegel, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 16/01/2016-17/04/2016 ...More
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, The Frick Collection, New York, 02/10/2012-27/01/2013
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 14/06/2012-09/09/2012
Special Display - Drawing Peasants, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 30/09/2010-10/02/2011
The world of Bruegel: the Coppée Collection and eleven international museums, Tobu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, 1995
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 16/10/1991-19/01/1992
The Age of Breughel, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. and J.P. Morgan Library, New York, 02/11/1986-05/04/1987
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 03/09/1986-30/11/1986; The Drawing Center, New York, 08/04/1986-26/07/1986
The Age of Bruegel: Netherlandish drawings in the sixteenth century, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. and Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, 1986
Mantegna to Cezanne - Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 24/02/1983-19/06/1983
Bruegel: une dynastie de peintres, Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels, 18/09/1980-18/11/1980
Flemish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, October 1977-January 1978
Pieter Bruegel der Altere als Zeichner, Herkunft und Nachfolge, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Preussischer Kulturbesitz Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin, 19/09/1975-16/11/1975
unnumbered typescript - title was possibly 'A Selection of Drawings from The Witt/Courtauld Collections [as exhibited in 1964 at University of Sussex, Falmer]', Nottingham University, 1966
Between Renaissance and Baroque: European Art 1520-1600, Manchester City Art Gallery, 1965
Pieter Brueghel and his circle, Slatter Gallery, London, 30/11/1943-08/01/1944
Exhibition of Belgian and Flemish Art 1300-1900, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1927
British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, London, 1925 ...Less
Literature
Honig, Elizabeth Alice et al., Jan Brueghel: complete catalogue, https://www.janbrueghel.net/search/site/courtauld [accessed 8 March 2021]
erroneously lists this as lot 224 in Oppenheimer sale, but was lot 223
Bruegel: the hand of the master, Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna, 2018 - 2019
cat. no. 47
illus. p. 120-21
Turner, Jane Shoaf and Christopher White, Dutch and Flemish drawings in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London 2014
p. 378
Under no. 457 ...More
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, Frick Collection, New York and Courtauld Gallery, London London 2012-2013
cat. no. 15
illus. p. 93
Sullivan, Margaret, Bruegel and the creative process, 1559-1563, Farnham, Surrey and Burlington, VT 2010
pp. 54-56
Sellink, Manfred, Bruegel: the complete paintings, drawings and prints, Antwerp 2007
no. 74
Gibson, Walter S., Pieter Bruegel and the art of laughter, Berkeley 2006
pp. 80-86
Kavaler, Ethan Matt, Pieter Bruegel: parables of order and enterprise, Cambridge 1999
pp. 186-89
Pieter Bruegel the Elder: drawings and prints, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2001, 1999
pp. 198-99
Mielke, Hans, Pieter Bruegel: die Zeichnungen, Turnhout 1996
no. 44
The world of Bruegel: the Coppée Collection and eleven international museums, Tobu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, 1995
cat. no. B5
Bastelaer, René van (trans. Engl. ed.), The prints of Pieter Bruegel the Elder: catalogue raisonné, San Francisco 1992
p. 281n249 under no. 208
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 15
pp. 38, 174
illus. p. 39
Marijnissen, Roger H., trans. by C. Krings, J. Rossbach and M. Vincent, Tout l'oeuvre peint et dessiné, Antwerp and Paris 1988
pp .115-16
Farr, Dennis, 100 Masterpieces from the Courtauld Collections, London: Courtauld Institute Galleries, 1987
p. 138
illus. p. 139
author: Lorne Campbell
Monballieu, Adolf, 'Nog eens Hoboken bij Bruegel en tijdgenoten' in 'Jaarboek van het Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen', 1987 - pp. 185-206
The Age of Breughel, National Gallery of Art, Washington / Morgan Library, New York, 1986-87
cat. no. 28
illus. p. 99
Raupp, Hans-Joachim, Bauernsatiren. Entstehung und Entwicklung des bäuerlichen Genres in der deutschen und niederländischen Kunst, ca. 1470-1570, Hildesheim, Zurich and New York 1986
p. 226
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 7
illus. p. 39
Corremans, R., 'De Kermis van Hoboken' in 'Antwerpen: Tijdschrift der stad Antwerpen', Jun. 1985 - pp. 49-53; vol. 31, no. 2
pp. 50-51
illus. pl. 1 on p. 50
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
cat. no. 19
illus. p. 30
Miedema, Hessel, 'Feestende boren-lachende dorpers. Bij twee recente aanwinsten van het Rijksprentenkabinett' in 'Bulletin van het Rijksmuseum', 1981 - pp. 191-213; 29
p. 199
Bruegel: une dynastie de peintres, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 1980
cat. no. 36
Briels, J., Vlaamse schilders in het Noorden in het begin van de Gouden Eeuw, Brussels 1978
p. 40
Riggs, Timothy, Hieronymous Cock: printmaker and publisher, New York 1977
pp. 167, 172
Flemish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, October 1977- January 1978
cat. no. 19
Gibson, Walter S., Bruegel, London 1977
p. 159
Pieter Bruegel der Altere als Zeichner, Herkunft und Nachfolge, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Preussischer Kulturbesitz Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin, 1975
cat. no. 68
illus. pl. 98
Monballieu, Adolf, 'De "Kermis van Hoboken" bij P. Bruegel, J. Grimmer en G. Mostaert' in 'Jaarboek van het Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen', 1974 - pp. 139-69
p. 153 (or pp. 139-153? or 139-159?)
Lebeer, Louis, Catalogue raisonné des estampes de Bruegel, Brussels 1969
no. 30, pp. 90, 92
Marlier, Georges, Pierre Bruegel le Jeune, Brussels 1969
pp. 213-17 (or just pp. 213-15?)
G.L. Conran, Between Renaissance and Baroque: European Art 1520-1600, Manchester City Art Gallery, 1965
cat. no. 280
Münz, Ludwig, Bruegel: the drawings, London 1961
no. 141 on p. 228
illus. pl. 138
handwriting and signature correspond with Bruegel
de Tolnay, Charles, The drawings of Pieter Bruegel the elder: with a critical catalogue, London 1952
no. A20, p. 90 (or 91?)
as after Bruegel
Glück, Gustav, Das Grosse Bruegel-Werk, Munich and Vienna 1951
pp. 109ff
Lebeer, Louis, Miscellanea Leo van Puyvelde, Brussels 1949
pp. 99-103 (or p. 49?)
both engraving and drawing ascribed to Hogenberg
Illustrated London News, 27 November 1943
Glück, Gustav, Pieter Bruegel, Paris and New York 1937
p. 88 under no. 66
'The Sale Room: Oppenheimer drawings at high prices' in 'The Times', 14 July 1936
as purchased by a Berlin dealer for 600 guineas
de Tolnay, Charles, Pierre Bruegel l'ancien, Brussels 1935
no. 36, p. 91
Exhibition of Belgian and Flemish Art 1300-1900, Royal Academy of Arts, London 1927, 1927
cat. no. 526
p. 189
de Tolnay, Charles, Die Zeichnungen Pieter Bruegels, Munich 1925
p. 73
as an early copy after Brueghel
The Vasari Society for the reproduction of drawings by old masters, 2nd series, Oxford 1916-35
vol. 2 (1921), no. 12 ...Less
erroneously lists this as lot 224 in Oppenheimer sale, but was lot 223
Bruegel: the hand of the master, Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna, 2018 - 2019
cat. no. 47
illus. p. 120-21
Turner, Jane Shoaf and Christopher White, Dutch and Flemish drawings in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London 2014
p. 378
Under no. 457 ...More
Mantegna to Matisse - Master Drawings from The Courtauld Gallery, Frick Collection, New York and Courtauld Gallery, London London 2012-2013
cat. no. 15
illus. p. 93
Sullivan, Margaret, Bruegel and the creative process, 1559-1563, Farnham, Surrey and Burlington, VT 2010
pp. 54-56
Sellink, Manfred, Bruegel: the complete paintings, drawings and prints, Antwerp 2007
no. 74
Gibson, Walter S., Pieter Bruegel and the art of laughter, Berkeley 2006
pp. 80-86
Kavaler, Ethan Matt, Pieter Bruegel: parables of order and enterprise, Cambridge 1999
pp. 186-89
Pieter Bruegel the Elder: drawings and prints, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2001, 1999
pp. 198-99
Mielke, Hans, Pieter Bruegel: die Zeichnungen, Turnhout 1996
no. 44
The world of Bruegel: the Coppée Collection and eleven international museums, Tobu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, 1995
cat. no. B5
Bastelaer, René van (trans. Engl. ed.), The prints of Pieter Bruegel the Elder: catalogue raisonné, San Francisco 1992
p. 281n249 under no. 208
Master Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1991
cat. no. 15
pp. 38, 174
illus. p. 39
Marijnissen, Roger H., trans. by C. Krings, J. Rossbach and M. Vincent, Tout l'oeuvre peint et dessiné, Antwerp and Paris 1988
pp .115-16
Farr, Dennis, 100 Masterpieces from the Courtauld Collections, London: Courtauld Institute Galleries, 1987
p. 138
illus. p. 139
author: Lorne Campbell
Monballieu, Adolf, 'Nog eens Hoboken bij Bruegel en tijdgenoten' in 'Jaarboek van het Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen', 1987 - pp. 185-206
The Age of Breughel, National Gallery of Art, Washington / Morgan Library, New York, 1986-87
cat. no. 28
illus. p. 99
Raupp, Hans-Joachim, Bauernsatiren. Entstehung und Entwicklung des bäuerlichen Genres in der deutschen und niederländischen Kunst, ca. 1470-1570, Hildesheim, Zurich and New York 1986
p. 226
The Northern Landscape: Flemish, Dutch and British Drawings from the Courtauld Collections, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1986
cat. no. 7
illus. p. 39
Corremans, R., 'De Kermis van Hoboken' in 'Antwerpen: Tijdschrift der stad Antwerpen', Jun. 1985 - pp. 49-53; vol. 31, no. 2
pp. 50-51
illus. pl. 1 on p. 50
Mantegna to Cezanne: Master Drawings from the Courtauld, British Museum, London, 1983
cat. no. 19
illus. p. 30
Miedema, Hessel, 'Feestende boren-lachende dorpers. Bij twee recente aanwinsten van het Rijksprentenkabinett' in 'Bulletin van het Rijksmuseum', 1981 - pp. 191-213; 29
p. 199
Bruegel: une dynastie de peintres, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, 1980
cat. no. 36
Briels, J., Vlaamse schilders in het Noorden in het begin van de Gouden Eeuw, Brussels 1978
p. 40
Riggs, Timothy, Hieronymous Cock: printmaker and publisher, New York 1977
pp. 167, 172
Flemish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, October 1977- January 1978
cat. no. 19
Gibson, Walter S., Bruegel, London 1977
p. 159
Pieter Bruegel der Altere als Zeichner, Herkunft und Nachfolge, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin Preussischer Kulturbesitz Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin, 1975
cat. no. 68
illus. pl. 98
Monballieu, Adolf, 'De "Kermis van Hoboken" bij P. Bruegel, J. Grimmer en G. Mostaert' in 'Jaarboek van het Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen', 1974 - pp. 139-69
p. 153 (or pp. 139-153? or 139-159?)
Lebeer, Louis, Catalogue raisonné des estampes de Bruegel, Brussels 1969
no. 30, pp. 90, 92
Marlier, Georges, Pierre Bruegel le Jeune, Brussels 1969
pp. 213-17 (or just pp. 213-15?)
G.L. Conran, Between Renaissance and Baroque: European Art 1520-1600, Manchester City Art Gallery, 1965
cat. no. 280
Münz, Ludwig, Bruegel: the drawings, London 1961
no. 141 on p. 228
illus. pl. 138
handwriting and signature correspond with Bruegel
de Tolnay, Charles, The drawings of Pieter Bruegel the elder: with a critical catalogue, London 1952
no. A20, p. 90 (or 91?)
as after Bruegel
Glück, Gustav, Das Grosse Bruegel-Werk, Munich and Vienna 1951
pp. 109ff
Lebeer, Louis, Miscellanea Leo van Puyvelde, Brussels 1949
pp. 99-103 (or p. 49?)
both engraving and drawing ascribed to Hogenberg
Illustrated London News, 27 November 1943
Glück, Gustav, Pieter Bruegel, Paris and New York 1937
p. 88 under no. 66
'The Sale Room: Oppenheimer drawings at high prices' in 'The Times', 14 July 1936
as purchased by a Berlin dealer for 600 guineas
de Tolnay, Charles, Pierre Bruegel l'ancien, Brussels 1935
no. 36, p. 91
Exhibition of Belgian and Flemish Art 1300-1900, Royal Academy of Arts, London 1927, 1927
cat. no. 526
p. 189
de Tolnay, Charles, Die Zeichnungen Pieter Bruegels, Munich 1925
p. 73
as an early copy after Brueghel
The Vasari Society for the reproduction of drawings by old masters, 2nd series, Oxford 1916-35
vol. 2 (1921), no. 12 ...Less
Inscriptions
Watermark: lower centre: two crossed arrows (see tracing in file, diagonal measures 7 cm long; no match found in Piccard or Briquet).
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Recto: within the drawing, on the banner at left, brown ink, artist's hand: "Gilde [?] / [...] / hoboken / [...] / [...]"; lower left, brown ink, artist's hand, signed and dated: "1559 / BRVEGEL".
Collector's mark: none.
Inscription: Recto: within the drawing, on the banner at left, brown ink, artist's hand: "Gilde [?] / [...] / hoboken / [...] / [...]"; lower left, brown ink, artist's hand, signed and dated: "1559 / BRVEGEL".
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