Younger son of the famous Pieter Brueghel, Jan did not inherit the right to copy his father’s pictures as his elder brother Pieter the Younger did. Instead he had to invent a different realm of subject matter for himself, and he turned what was doubtless his short-sightedness to use, painting pictures of exquisite detail and entrancing miniature scale. His landscapes are microcosms of the known flora and fauna of his day, and we can feel his delight in discovering new species of tulip, say, or of parrot. The beautiful scenes he painted are analysed in this lecture, but above all, they are presented for the sheer enjoyment of the audience.

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Chantal Brotherton-Ratcliffe has become a regular guest to London Art and More, both in real life and virtually. She has an MA in History of Art from Edinburgh, and a PhD from the Warburg Institute, London University. With 40 years' experience as a lecturer, Chantal has taught at Sotheby's Institute of Art and regularly lectures for the National Gallery  and The Wallace Collection. She also trained as a paintings conservator and brings an understanding of the making and the physical painting to her lectures.