Provenance of Hunters in the snow

What is the provenance of Hunters in the snow, please


The provenance of Pieter Bruegel the Elder's The Hunters in the Snow (1565) is well-documented, tracing its ownership from the 16th century to its current home in Vienna. It is part of a series of six paintings depicting the months of the year, commissioned for a specific patron.

Commission and Initial Ownership
The Hunters in the Snow was commissioned by the wealthy Antwerp art patron Niclaes Jonghelinck. Jonghelinck was a merchant, banker, and collector who amassed a significant collection of Bruegel's work, including the six-part "Months" series. The series was designed to be displayed together in the dining hall of his suburban villa.

Journey to Vienna
After Jonghelinck's death in 1570, his entire collection, including the Bruegel paintings, was sold. The collection was eventually acquired by the city of Antwerp. From there, it was transferred to the prestigious art collection of the Habsburg dynasty.

Acquisition by Habsburgs: The paintings were acquired by the Habsburgs during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The exact details of the transaction are not fully known, but the collection was eventually housed in the imperial art galleries in Vienna. The Habsburgs were avid collectors, and their patronage of Northern Renaissance artists like Bruegel was a sign of their political and cultural power.

Final Home: The painting, along with four of the other five works from the series, is now in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, where it has been since the museum's opening in the 19th century. The sixth painting from the series, Haymaking, is in the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague.


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wHO AND WENN GIVE THE PAINTING THE PRESENT NAME?


Bruegel did not give the painting the name The Hunters in the Snow. It was given a descriptive name much later by art historians and curators.

The Original Name
When Bruegel created the painting in 1565, it was part of a larger series of six works known as the "Months of the Year." It was likely titled something simple, like "January" or "The Winter Scene," by its original owner, Niclaes Jonghelinck. At the time, paintings were often referred to by their subject matter rather than a formal title.

The Modern Name
The name The Hunters in the Snow was given to the painting in the 19th century, as the Habsburg imperial collection, which housed the painting, was being formally cataloged. Curators and art historians began to use descriptive titles to identify and organize works in the modern museum setting. The name highlights the central figures in the painting—the hunters returning from their outing—and the striking winter landscape, making it easily recognizable.

The Name's Evolution
The current name reflects a shift in how art is viewed. In Bruegel's time, the painting was a part of a set and its name was simply a descriptor of the month. Today, it is celebrated as an individual masterpiece, and its title captures the essence of the scene.







wHERE THE SECOND TITLE RETUN OF THE HUNTERS IS COMING FROM?


The alternate title, "Return of the Hunters," is a modern and more descriptive name used by some art historians and institutions. It's a variation of the more common title, The Hunters in the Snow, and it emphasizes the narrative action within the painting rather than just the setting.

The Origin of the Name
The title "Return of the Hunters" is not from Bruegel's time. It evolved in the 20th century as art historians and writers sought to describe the painting's dynamic quality. The painting isn't just a static winter scene; it depicts a clear moment in time—the end of a hunt and the hunters' weary journey back to the village. The name focuses on this narrative element, highlighting the story of the men and their dogs, and their unsuccessful hunt.

In essence, while The Hunters in the Snow is the established name, "Return of the Hunters" offers a more narrative-driven perspective, suggesting that the painting is not just a landscape but a slice of life, a brief and poignant story about the human experience.