This essay survey the attempts by art historians to discover the
meaning of the peasant paintings and other works of Pieter Bruegel
the Elder and to determine whether his oeuvre reflects any
underlying philosophy. It examines some of the recent literature on
Bruegel dealing with the question of his political allegiance, his
supposed affiliation with the circle of distinguished intellectuals in
Antwerp that included the printer-publisher Christophe Plantin and the
geographer Abraham Ortelius, the possible influence of Stoic ideas in
his depiction of landscape, and his social ideals and attitude toward
his peasant subjects. The essay suggests that there are obscurities in
Bruegel's works that may never be resolved.