Snowy landscapes, storms at sea, village celebrations and carefully observed still lifes: the Brueghels exhibition at Palazzo Reale explores how familiar painting genres became subjects in their own right. It is already open and continues until 31 January 2027. It suits both admirers of Flemish art and anyone who enjoys discovering small stories within a picture.
Rather than focusing on one famous painter, the exhibition introduces a dynasty. More than 80 paintings, drawings and prints allow you to compare subjects and ways of depicting the world. You can move between the whole composition and a tiny figure in the distance, returning to gestures, objects and individual characters.
What connects the works?
The full title is I Brueghel. Le origini dei generi pittorici in Europa. Conceived by Bernard Aikema and curated by Carlotta Striolo, the project explores how a family workshop, circulating models and a growing art market helped painting genres develop. It offers a useful way to compare a landscape, a scene of rural life and a still life.
The official gallery introduces several works in advance. Jan Brueghel is represented by Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee and a scene of Orpheus in the underworld, among others. In the galleries, notice how the mood shifts from everyday observation to mythological or religious subjects.
The organiser also offers guided visits and creative activities for families, schools and adults. Choose a programme separately by description and date if it interests you: a standard exhibition visit and a workshop involve different arrangements.
Dates, address and tickets
The exhibition runs from 29 September 2026 to 31 January 2027 at Palazzo Reale, Piazza del Duomo 12, Milan. Co-producer 24 ORE Cultura publishes current admission information and links to Vivaticket.
There are special notices for the nearest dates: on 22 October, opening may be affected until 1.30 pm; on 30 October, a strike may affect operations and closure is announced for 5.30 pm. Check the arrangements for your particular day before visiting.
Planning the journey
If you are staying in Milan, discuss a hotel-to-Palazzo Reale journey with Hola Taxi. Include your hotel address, party size and visiting time. You can discuss a return to the hotel or an onward address around your plans for the rest of the day.
If flying in, specify Malpensa (MXP), Linate (LIN) or Bergamo (BGY). The journey from your flight to your accommodation and the later exhibition trip can be separate stages of the same visit; describe both in your enquiry.
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-21
