Bruegel the Elder: Man vs nature

By Rose Church

Published on February 3, 2025

Pieter Bruegel the Elder (ca. 1525-1569) is known for his sweeping landscapes depicting the activity of peasant life. “Hunters in the Snow” captures one of these classic snapshots during the bitter cold of winter. 

The focal point of the painting, on the bottom left side, shows three discouraged hunters returning from a disappointing excursion— all they have to show for their effort is one fox draped over the tallest hunter’s shoulder. Even the hunting dogs exhibit a body language of defeat. 

Man vs. nature

Throughout the painting, we see this tension between the human and the natural world exhibited in different ways. Man can conquer and have dominion over the animals, but sometimes even the best hunter is helpless against the prey which slips out of his grasp. Man is caught in a delicate limbo between being able to work alongside the natural world and subdue it (as is the case with his domesticated hunting dogs). Yet, man remains completely powerless to control the deeper rhythms of nature. Man can no sooner stop a fleeing animal in its tracks than he can stop the harsh winter from coming.

On the left of the painting, we see peasants stoking a large fire. Although they seem to have a fairly good grasp on the situation, the fire is unwieldy and must be meticulously managed. The peasants are in a delicate dance with the bonfire – relying on its warmth for their survival yet threatened by the direct danger of burns if the fire is not properly tended. 

The gifts of nature

On the right, more villagers walk and play on the frozen lake. Some are happily skating while others are playing games resembling hockey and curling. It is only because of the cold of winter that the peasants can enjoy the safety of ice thickly frozen enough to support them and their games. Once again, the very same condition that threatens their lives — the frigidly cold temperatures — is what offers them the delightful gift of a frozen play place.

All of creation is charged with this tension. All too often, with the advances of modern science, we forget what our relationship to the natural world ought to be. Despite the many scientific attempts to subdue nature, modern man often has a false sense of control which causes him to be out of touch with the splendor of reality. 

The modern blessings of HVAC systems, heaters, and electricity allow us to temporarily forget or even ignore completely the reality of the harsh cold and darkness of winter. The peasants in “Hunters in the Snow” offer a beautiful juxtaposition to our modern self-deception by showing how man can cooperate with nature in a balanced yet still challenging way. 

Control or contemplation?

We cannot control the weather and we cannot change the seasons. Instead of grasping at control of the natural world, we should seek understanding. When we learn the essence of the natural element in its wholeness, we be properly in relationship with it. 

Fire does not need to cease to be fire for us to enjoy its warmth. Rather, we need to understand what fire is and what natural limitations and dangers come along with that reality. In so doing, we become free to commune with the natural world as it was created and open ourselves up to a more authentic relationship with the Creator who reveals himself little by little in every facet of his glorious universe. 

Perhaps then we can start to see the winter not as an inconvenience to be overcome but instead as an invitation to revel in the games on the solidly frozen lake.

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