The Gloomy Day

Infobox Painting


image_size = 300px
title = The Gloomy Day
artist = Pieter Brueghel the Elder
year = 1565
type = Oil on wood
height = 118
width = 163
height_inch = 46½
width_inch = 64⅛
city = Vienna
museum = Kunsthistorisches Museum

The Gloomy Day is an oil on wood painting by Pieter Bruegel in 1565. The painting is one in a series of six works, five of which are still extant, that depict different times of the year. The painting is currently in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, located in Vienna, Austria.

The painting's scene is set around the start of the calendar year at around janurary time which is portrayed by the bleak atmosphere and leafless trees. The paper crown around the boys head which refers to Epiphany and the eating of waffles which were commonly cosumed at carnival time prior to lent also suggest the painting is set around this time. The harsh enviroment displayed by the ships crashing against the shoreline and the snowcapped mountains in the distance to give the impression that this weather is approaching and the children in the foreground preparing themselves is a sign that a hard time is coming could have been chosen as a subject due to Netherlanders being seafaring people who lived relatively close to nature during this period.

ee also

* The Hunters in the Snow
* The Hay Harvest
* The Harvesters
* The Return of the Herd

References

* [http://www.khm.at/homeE/homeE.html Kunsthistorisches Museum website]