BREUGEL (John), commonly called Velvet Breugel,
from his generally wearing velvet clothes, was the son of Peter Breugel, and born about the year 1575. He first applied himself to painting flowers and fruit, in which he excelled; and afterwards had great success in drawing landscapes, and views of the sea, set off with small figures. He lived long at Cologne, where he acquired great reputation. He travelled to Italy, where his fame had got before him; and where his fine landscapes, adorned with small figures superior to those of his father, gave very great satisfaction. If a good judgment may be formed from the great number of pictures he left behind him, all highly finished, he must have been exceedingly industrious. Nor did he satisfy himself with embellishing his own works only, but was very useful in this respect to his friends. Even Rubens made use of Breugel's hand in the landscape part of several of his small pictures, such as his Vertumnus and Pomona; the satyr viewing the sleeping nymph; and the terrestrial paradise, which is looked upon as his master-piece. He died in 1642.
—Several of his works are to be seen in the archbishop's gallery at Milan; particularly a hunting-piece with a vast many figures; a landscape representing a defeat, with the picture of St Hierom painted by Cerano, alias Gro Baptista Crespi. In the Ambrosian library are 20 pieces of this masterly hand; particularly Daniel in the lion's den, the inside of the great church at Antwerp, the four seasons on copper, and the burning of Gomorra. In the possession of the elector Palatine at Duffeldorp, Christ preaching on the sea-shore; a country-dance; a sea-port, with a great many figures; a coach and two chariots, with a multitude of figures and animals; a landscape, wherein Flora is crowned by a nymph; St John preaching in the wilderness; a small sea-landscape, and several other pieces. In the possession of the king of France, a woman playing with a dog, the battle between Alexander and Darius, both in wood; Orpheus in hell, &c.