Hunters trudge home through snow after a less than substantial winter's hunt, with all their tired dogs in tow, and ready to sit in front of the fire with a hot porridge and a warm ale. The workers of an inn nearby are busy preparing for the night's
clientele around a bonfire, while their placard swings in the cold
breeze. Sprawling into the distance lies a bustling lakeside valley, alive with young
and old alike taking advantage of the frozen ponds with their sleds,
tops, curling stones and skates. It's a winter's day in the life of a post-medieval town and countryside in Pieter Bruegel's "
Hunters in the Snow."
While Bruegel's mid 16th century painting style is easy to reproduce as I've done here, this is by far the most complex composition I've painted in quite some time, with so many figures, trees, and buildings. This painting gave me a reason to slow down and realize that paintings can take more than a day to complete. So I took my time and worked back and forth between fore- and background, large areas and details as I saw fit.
All the while I only had to look outside my window during this February storm for snowy inspiration. If my dog were here, we'd be out trudging like these hunters.
