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Lot Essay
Pieter Breughel the Younger based a number of his compositions on those of his father, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, but also drew on other sources, including German woodcuts and the works of Pieter Balten and Maerten van Cleve. The present panel and the following lot appear to have been inspired by compositions existing in several versions, by Maerten van Cleve.
George Marlier (Pierre Brueghel le Jeune, Brussels, 1969, p. 343) lists a series of six paintings on the subject of the Peasant Wedding that were until 1939 in the Collection of Schütz von Leerodt as by Pieter Breughel the Younger. Marlier has since attributed them convincingly to Maerten van Cleve. This series includes Presents being given to the bride and The wedding feast.
It is likely that Pieter Breughel the Younger depicted the marriage events in a set of four to six paintings. The sizes of the present work and the following lot are almost identical to another pair of wedding scenes depicting The Procession of the bride and The Procession of the groom, (sold Christie's, London, 7 July 2000, lot 25, £223,750 = $338,655) suggesting that they may once have formed part of a set. However, since Breughel repeated his compositions in more than one version with similar dimensions several sets may have existed.
Ertz (op. cit., p. 704, nos. E834 & E835) lists two other versions of the Presents being given to the bride, which have the inclusion of a copper pot in the lower left hand corner. No. E834 was sold at Sotheby's, London, 13 December 2001, lot 27 (£146,500 = $210,791) and, No. E835 was sold at Christie's, London, 29 November 1974, lot 24 (£8,500 = $21,430).
George Marlier (Pierre Brueghel le Jeune, Brussels, 1969, p. 343) lists a series of six paintings on the subject of the Peasant Wedding that were until 1939 in the Collection of Schütz von Leerodt as by Pieter Breughel the Younger. Marlier has since attributed them convincingly to Maerten van Cleve. This series includes Presents being given to the bride and The wedding feast.
It is likely that Pieter Breughel the Younger depicted the marriage events in a set of four to six paintings. The sizes of the present work and the following lot are almost identical to another pair of wedding scenes depicting The Procession of the bride and The Procession of the groom, (sold Christie's, London, 7 July 2000, lot 25, £223,750 = $338,655) suggesting that they may once have formed part of a set. However, since Breughel repeated his compositions in more than one version with similar dimensions several sets may have existed.
Ertz (op. cit., p. 704, nos. E834 & E835) lists two other versions of the Presents being given to the bride, which have the inclusion of a copper pot in the lower left hand corner. No. E834 was sold at Sotheby's, London, 13 December 2001, lot 27 (£146,500 = $210,791) and, No. E835 was sold at Christie's, London, 29 November 1974, lot 24 (£8,500 = $21,430).