<i>The Wedding Dance</i> typifies Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s fascination with depicting rural life in the Low Countries. An iconic representation of rustic merry-making that combines landscape and genre, the scene was among the artist’s most successful compositions, one often repeated by Brueghel and his workshop. A celebration of the simple pleasure derived from dancing among friends, the painting epitomizes the type of painting popularized by the Brueghel dynasty.<i>&nbsp;</i>

Explore in detail Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s <i>The Wedding Dance</i>

Property from an Important Private Collection

 It’s All in the Details  

Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s “The Wedding Dance”

The sale features an impressive assortment of portraits of women. Explore the changing modes of depiction and the development of dress in this chapter.

Face-to-Face

Face-to-Face: Women’s Portraits Across Time

Almost a quarter of the lots in this sale are offered without reserve. This provides unique opportunities to acquire Old Master paintings at a range of enticing price points.

No Reserve

Explore landscapes, cityscapes, and marine scenes from the 17th through 19th centuries that present the literal, nostalgic, and idealized as well as the wholly imagined.

Across the Continent

New York

Pieter Brueghel's Raucous Wedding Dance 

Chairman | Executive Vice President | Co-Chairman, Old Master Paintings Worldwide

George Wachter

Senior Vice President | International Head of Old Master Division

Christopher Apostle

Senior Vice President | Head of Department

David Pollack

Vice President | Specialist, Director of International Strategy

Calvine Harvey

Assistant Vice President, Specialist | Old Master Paintings

Daria Rose Foner, PhD

Cataloguer | Old Master Paintings

Emma Woodberry

Pre-Sale Coordinator | Old Master Paintings

Neely Metz

Meet our Specialists

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                <h5>19th-Century European Paintings &amp; Works of Art, Featuring An Independent Eye: Property from Jack Kilgore &amp; Co.</h5>

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        </div><br>22 May 2024 |  2:00 PM | New York<br>

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Sotheby’s is excited to present Master Paintings, a live auction featuring an array of works spanning periods, genres, and geographies. The majority of these come from distinguished private collections, both in the United States and abroad. The sale is led by Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s <i>The Wedding Dance, </i>an iconic representation of rustic merry-making. Other highlights include superb Italian view paintings and a rich assortment of portraits.