"The Holy Family" by Jan Brueghel the Elder clearly shows the influence of the Northern Renaissance both in theme and technical rendering. Brueghel was one of the key artists of the Northern Renaissance, a period characterized by realism, perspective, and the themes of religion and nature in art. Brueghel's The Holy Family contains many elements characteristic of the Northern Renaissance, including the themes of religion and nature, as well as a profound realism and detail. The religious theme of the painting is consistent with an influence of components of Christian thought and stylistic techniques common in the Italian Renaissance.
             Jan the elder Brueghel was one of the major artistic forces of the Northern Renaissance in the Netherlands. Born into an artistic family, he was the son of Pieter the Elder Bruegel, and the brother of Pieter the Younger Brueghel, and the brother of Jan Bruegel II, while his father-in-law was David Teniers the Younger. Jan the elder Brueghel was born in 1568, and died 1625. Painted during the Northern Renaissance, Brueghel's The Holy Family reveals a great deal of the important themes of the era. The Northern Renaissance arrived in Germany and the Netherlands in the 15th and 16th centuries, largely out of the influence of the Renaissance in Italy. The Italian Renaissance was a profound period of creative activity. Natural art was studied commonly, and anatomy and perspective were important components of art.
             The Italian Renaissance marked a move away from Byzantine art, which focused around the Orthodox Church, and the painting of icons and the decoration of churches. Like the Italian Renaissance, the Northern Renaissance saw a move away from art of a Byzantine influence. While artists of the Northern Renaissance were less focused on anatomy and perspective, their art showed a clear mastery of the technique and profound detail. Gothic art came to be known as one of the key advancements of the...