Smell
1617 Museo del Prado
About this artwork
This painting is part of a series depicting the five senses, commissioned by Archduke Albert VII of Austria and his wife Isabella Clara Eugenia. It illustrates the sense of smell through a lush garden filled with diverse flowers, with the figures of Venus and Cupid represented in the foreground.
Did you know?
This painting is one of a famous series representing the five senses, created in collaboration with Peter Paul Rubens who often painted the figures while Brueghel executed the detailed flora and landscape. The work is a testament to the immense popularity of botanical encyclopedias and scientific curiosity during the 17th century, blending mythological allegory with meticulous natural observation.
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Smell
Jan Brueghel the Elder, 1617
