Pieter Aertsen (1508/09-1575)Pieter Aertsen came from Amsterdam, but lived for a long time in Antwerp. During his first years in Antwerp he was mainly commissioned to make altarpiecesAltarpiece or reredosAn altarpiece is a carving or painting made for a church altar, the table at which mass is said. Normally, the altarpiece rests on the altar, but it is also found behind or even above. The centre of the altarpiece features a depiction of Christ, the Virgin Mary or a saint, with the side panels generally showing scenes relating to the life of the central figure. These are presented in chronological order and can be read like a comic strip. The backs of the side panels are almost always painted, giving a finished aspect to the altarpiece when closed. Sometimes panels are attached along the bottom; this is referred to by the Italian term 'predella'. for Dutch churches. Before long he also started to paint scenes from peasant life and he gained a reputation for his paintings of market scenes and kitchen tableaux, which contained an abundance of fruit, fish, poultry, cheese, bread and much more. His younger cousin and pupil Joachim Bueckelaer took over this style of painting and developed it further. |
