A wedding procession

This composition is based on a lost prototype by the artist's father, Pieter Bruegel I (Breda? c. 1528-1569 Brussels). A painting in the Muse Communale de la ville de Bruxelles, which has sometimes been considered the original, has recently been attributed to Jan Brueghel I (Brussels 1568-1625 Antwerp) by Klaus Ertz (catalogue of the exhibition, Pieter Breughel der Jngere-Jan Brueghel der ltere. Flmische Malerei um 1600. Tradition und Fortschritt, Villa Hgel, Essen, 1997, p. 122). The popularity of the composition is attested to by the existence of at least ten versions by Pieter Brueghel II (see Marlier, op. cit., pp. 169-176): two are dated 1623 (ibid., nos. 2 and 3) and three date from 1630 (ibid., nos. 6, 7 and 9). One of the versions was described in an inventory in 1689 as a chimney-piece, which might explain the oblong format of these paintings. In these popular works the bridegroom follows a bagpipe player towards the village church. He is followed by his male relatives, while the bride follows another bagpipe player and is followed by her female relatives and friends. In the distance on the right the wedding feast is being prepared.