Pieter Bruegel, was a 16th-century painter and printmaker known for his contributions to the Renaissance movement in Northern Europe. One of his most important contributions was the democratization of art.
At the time, art was largely commissioned by the wealthy and powerful and primarily focused on religious and historical themes. Bruegel, however, turned to everyday life for inspiration, depicting scenes of peasant life, landscapes, and other aspects of the natural world. By making art more relatable and accessible to the common man, Bruegel helped break down the boundaries of traditional artistic patronage and broadened the scope of subjects deemed worthy of artistic representation.