Big Fish Eat Little Fish

Art Historical Context

Created in 1557, *Big Fish Eat Fish* is an engraving a design by Pieter Brgel the Elder, one of the most inventive artists of the Northern Renaissance. Although Bruegel conceived the image, it was skillfully cut into a copper plate by engraver Pieter van der Heyden and published by Joannes Galle. The resulting print allowed Bruegel’s witty moral commentary to reach a wide audience across Europe at a time when original drawings or paintings remained the privilege of wealthy collectors. The scene vividly illustrates the ancient proverb that gives the work its title. Larger fish are shown being ...