Belling the cat

Executed in oil on canvas, the composition employs the detailed, narrative style typical of Brueghel’s workshop. The artist renders textures—metallic armor, fur, foliage—with careful brushwork, while the lighting highlights the central figures against a softer, atmospheric landscape.

Created toward the end of the 16th century, the painting reflects Brueghel the Younger’s habit of adapting motifs from his father’s oeuvre. After changing hands over the centuries, it entered the holdings of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains on display.