The Census at Bethlehem

"The Census at Bethlehem" is an enchanting oil-on-panel painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, a distinguished Flemish Renaissance artist, completed in 1566. This captivating artwork, measuring approximately 115.5 cm by 164.5 cm, is housed in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels. Since its acquisition in 1902, the museum has proudly displayed this masterpiece. The painting's particular charm lies in its depiction of a snowy landscape—a rare sight in Western art at the time—reflecting the severe winter of 1565.

Set in a Flemish village at sunset during winter, the painting teems with life and activity. Notable elements include villagers gathering near a building adorned with the Habsburg double-headed eagle, Joseph leading a donkey carrying the pregnant Virgin Mary, a pig being slaughtered, and children joyfully playing on the ice. The central spoked wheel is often interpreted as a symbol of fortune, while a man in a hut warns of leprosy, a prevalent concern in Europe during that era. Bruegel skillfully merges a biblical narrative—the census ordered by Quirinius—into a contemporary setting, possibly offering a critique of bureaucratic practices or Spanish rule over the southern Netherlands.

The painting is inspired by the events described in Luke 2:1-5, which detail Caesar Augustus's decree for a census. Bruegel's choice to depict this scene was unconventional for Netherlandish art of the period. The ruins of a castle in the background evoke structures found in Amsterdam. After Bruegel's death, his son, Pieter Brueghel the Younger, and his studio produced numerous copies of the painting. One of these copies fetched an impressive $10 million in 2013. Another version from 1610 is also part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium's collection.