Village Lawyer, 1621

In addition to numerous copies of his father’s work, Pieter Brueghel II also created original compositions such as this painting of the Village Lawyer, which is signed and dated 1621 at the bottom left. This painting is an interesting historical document. The authorities increasingly interfered with jurisdiction. Consequently, lawyers became an important intermediary in rural areas. As we see here, the lawyer often received payment in kind. In this work Pieter II Brueghel shows himself to be a satirical artist and amused observer of human relationships and social situations. He depicts the lawyer as a sly, greedy man who confounds the unsophisticated peasants with piles of paperwork.