Bruegel to Rembrandt
Drawing Life, Sketching Wonder
Exhibitions
Saturday 14th March - Sunday 28th June 2026
"When visiting this exhibition, it’s as if you’re peering over the shoulder of the artist as they contemplate the next steps of their sketch, such is the sense of immediacy in many of the works on display."
About theExhibition
Explore the wonders of Dutch and Flemish drawing with over 60 works from the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, many never before seen in the UK.
This exhibition showcases artists across the 16th and 17th centuries, including Bruegel, Rembrandt, Rubens, and Jordaens, and reveals the magic of drawing as both an artistic tool and a means of storytelling. With charcoal, ink and chalk, these artists captured life in all its beauty, struggle and complexity during a period of extraordinary social, political and religious change.
Look closely and you’ll see not just technical brilliance, but the imagination behind each stroke. Often combining elements from the real world, with imaginative details based in history or fantasy, these drawings offer fascinating artistic interpretations of a changing world. Highlights include Bruegel’s Prudence – a rare work from his celebrated Seven Virtues series.
Complemented by loans of paintings, prints and drawings from other UK collections including the National Gallery, the Royal Collection Trust, the Ashmolean, Dulwich Picture Gallery and Sir John Soane’s Museum, this is an unmissable journey into the minds of the Old Masters.
Bruegel to Rembrandt features work by:
Abraham Bloemaert, Peeter Baltens, Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem, Ferdinand Bol, Hans Bol, Paul Bril, Jan Brueghel the Elder, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Matthijs Cock, Aelbert Cuyp, Cornelis De Vos, Maerten de Vos, Jan van Goyen, Jacques de Gheyn II, Simon Jacobsz. de Vlieger, Cornelis Dusart, Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, Frans Floris, Philips Galle the Elder, Hendrick Goltzius, Gerard van Groeningen, Jan Swart van Groningen, Pieter van der Heyden, Pieter I de Jode, Jacques Jordaens, Maria Sybilla Merian, Cornelis Metsys, Pieter Molijn, Jan Harmensz. Muller, Jacob Matham, Gilles Neyts, Willem Adriaensz. van Nieulandt II, Adriaen van Ostade, Peter Paul Rubens, Jacob van Ruisdael, Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, Roelandt Savery, Abraham Storck, Pieter Stevens, Lodewijk Toeput, Esaias van de Velde, Adriaen Hendriksz Verboom, Sebastiaen Vrancx, Adriaen van der Werff, Jan Wildens
Prices and Information
Booking is required
Location & Navigation
- The exhibition is located on the first floor and can be accessed by lift or via 27 steps (split into three sections, with handrails on the left when ascending).
- The exhibition is divided into two parts:
- The first half is in one large gallery space
- To visit the second half:
- Exit through the same door you entered and turn left
- Go up five steps
- Enter through the door on the right
- This second half includes four additional areas, including an animation film and communal drawing space
For level access to the second half of the exhibition, enter through the door on the first-floor landing.
Labels & Light Levels
- The interpretation text for each artwork is printed on matte labels in font size 18. Some are on labels you can pick up. The majority are wall mounted labels.
- There are large print versions of the labels together in a handout just inside the exhibition by the entrance to each gallery space.
- Lighting levels throughout the exhibition vary between 30 and 50 lux.
Seating
- There is one bench in the large gallery space, and one bench in the second gallery space, across the corridor
- There is one bench for viewing the animation film
- There are several stools in the communal drawing space around the table
- Light, folding, portable stools are available and can be collected from a rack situated outside the lift on the first floor landing
- There is an audio tour with six stops spoken by exhibition curator, Jane Simpkiss.
- To listen, please bring your own smartphone and headphones and connect to the free Compton Verney wi-fi. Then scan the QR codes next to the relevant artworks.
- Each stop on the tour lasts between 60 and 90 seconds and they can be listened to in any order.
- You don’t need to download any apps to listen to the audio tour.
- This tour isn’t intended to be audio description of the artworks instead it offers further insight about the pieces.
- If you’re visiting the exhibition with children, there are several prompts or cues displayed on the walls to encourage a closer look through spotting characters, items and colours.
- There is an 18 minute animation playing on a continuous loop in a secluded space, with an ambient soundtrack. The space is dark and there is one bench available to sit on. Please be aware that there are brief depictions of sex and violence at points during the film.
- The exhibition features an interactive communal drawing space where anyone is welcome to sketch their own characters or features to add to a large landscape on the wall. You can also try your hand at copying the style of some of the Old Masters on long paper rolls hanging from the wall.
- The paint used on the walls of the exhibition is Little Greene. The colours are Rolling Fog (pale 158), Blush (267), Grey Stone (276), Sage Green (80), Boxington (84), Light Bronze Green (123), Tuscan Red, Adventurer (7) and Yellow Pink (46).
We advise you check with the venue regarding any chances to their opening time / availability before arriving
Schedule
Mon 30th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 1st April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 2nd April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 3rd April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 4th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 5th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 6th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 8th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 9th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 10th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 11th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 12th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 13th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 15th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 16th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 17th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 18th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 19th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 20th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 22nd April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 23rd April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 24th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 25th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 26th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 27th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 29th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 30th April 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 1st May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 2nd May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 3rd May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 4th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 6th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 7th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 8th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 9th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 10th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 11th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 13th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 14th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 15th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 16th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 17th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 18th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 20th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 21st May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 22nd May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 23rd May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 24th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 25th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 27th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 28th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 29th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 30th May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 31st May 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 1st June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 3rd June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 4th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 5th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 6th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 7th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 8th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 10th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 11th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 12th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 13th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 14th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 15th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 17th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 18th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 19th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 20th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 21st June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 22nd June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 24th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 25th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 26th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 27th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 28th June 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Past Dates
Sat 14th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 15th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 16th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 18th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 19th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 20th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 21st March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 22nd March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Mon 23rd March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Wed 25th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Thu 26th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Fri 27th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sat 28th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Sun 29th March 2026 10:00am to 05:00pm
Category Creative
Website comptonverney.org.uk/whats-on/drawing-life-sketching-wonder/
Email info@comptonverney.org.uk
Phone 01926645500
Address Compton Verney Warwickshire CV35 9HZ