Extensive Landscape With Travellers on a Country Road c. 1608 - 1610

Jan Brueghel the Younger painted this landscape with oil on panel, sometime in the 17th century. The making of oil paint was a complex process in itself. Pigments, ground from minerals and plants, were carefully mixed with linseed or walnut oil. Brueghel applied these paints in thin, translucent layers, a technique known as glazing, to achieve the remarkable depth and luminosity we see here. This was not just about rendering the scene; it was a way of showing the viewer the world through a specific lens, one of cultivated refinement and the ruling class who could afford such luxuries. The painting's depiction of travelers gives a glimpse into the realities of 17th-century life. The movement of people and goods, enabled by horses and carts, was essential to trade and economic growth. Brueghel's landscape reminds us that even seemingly picturesque scenes are embedded in social and economic structures, in this case capitalism. Looking closely at materials, making, and context enables us to fully appreciate not only the skill of the artist, but also the intricate web of factors that shaped its creation.