The Fall of the Rebel Angels 1562

Pieter Bruegel the Elder made this oil on panel painting, "The Fall of the Rebel Angels," at an unknown date. It depicts the biblical scene of the war in heaven, when the angels who followed Lucifer rebelled against God and were cast out. Bruegel was working in Flanders at a time of religious upheaval. The Protestant Reformation was challenging the authority of the Catholic Church, leading to conflicts and wars throughout Europe. In this context, "The Fall of the Rebel Angels" can be seen as a commentary on the social and political turmoil of Bruegel’s time. The painting is teeming with grotesque figures and monstrous creatures. This imagery reflects a broader cultural fascination with the demonic, and the unknown. Bruegel would have also been aware of the various moralizing functions of painting, and of the role of the artist in creating images with a political message. To understand this artwork, historians might consult theological texts, political pamphlets, and contemporary accounts of the religious conflicts of the 16th century. This will give us a sense of how art responds to social and institutional contexts.