For centuries past, churches and monasteries had been among the most important clients commissioning art. The Reformation put an end to this tradition, the Protestants considering the rich pictorial ornamentation of Catholic buildings to be symptoms of secularisation, or even of a forbidden display of magnificence and power.

Although Bruegel worked with others on an altar in 1550/51, as far as can be ascertained, not one of his paintings was executed for a church. One reason for this may be seen in the political and religious situation at the time, Lutheran and Reformed Church communities being uninterested in such works and Catholics holding back - in those cases where they had actually been able to keep their buildings. Another reason was Bruegel's style, which was such as to exclude him from consideration by Catholics. His works did not correspond to Catholic requirements to portray saints in a way which emphasized their sainthood and clearly distinguished them from other mortals.

Preview	Picture Data	File Info	Comment
	The Adoration of the Kings 1556-62 Tempera on canvas, 122 x 168 cm Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels	1032*770 True Color 127 Kb
	The Adoration of the Kings 1564 Oil on wood, 111 x 84 cm National Gallery, London	850*1158 True Color 172 Kb
	The Adoration of the Kings (detail) 1564 Oil on wood, width of detail 26 cm National Gallery, London	950*1149 True Color 193 Kb
	The Adoration of the Kings (detail) 1564 Oil on wood, width of detail 21 cm National Gallery, London	900*1095 True Color 181 Kb
	The Adoration of the Kings (detail) 1564 Oil on wood, width of detail 26 cm National Gallery, London	900*1090 True Color 141 Kb
	The Adoration of the Kings (detail) 1564 Oil on wood, width of detail 21 cm National Gallery, London	1000*1199 True Color 194 Kb
	Adoration of the Kings in the Snow 1567 Tempera on panel, 35 x 55 cm Oskar Reinhart Collection, Winterthur	1244*770 True Color 200 Kb
	Adoration of the Kings in the Snow (detail) 1567 Tempera on panel, 35 x 55 cm Oskar Reinhart Collection, Winterthur	1366*770 True Color 183 Kb
	Death of the Virgin c. 1564 Oil on panel, 36 x 55 cm Upton House, Banbury	1041*702 True Color 82 Kb
	Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery 1565 Oil on canvas, 24 x 34 cm Courtauld Gallery, London	1066*770 True Color 108 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross 1564 Oil on oak panel, 124 x 170 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	1028*750 True Color 184 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross (detail) 1564 Oil on oak panel, width of detail 36 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	980*1183 True Color 196 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross (detail) 1564 Oil on oak panel, width of detail 36 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	900*1087 True Color 184 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross (detail) 1564 Oil on oak panel Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	1319*700 True Color 166 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross (detail) 1564 Oil on oak panel Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	1133*800 True Color 180 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross (detail) 1564 Oil on oak panel, width of detail 36 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	1345*620 True Color 177 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross (detail) 1564 Oil on oak panel Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	900*1075 True Color 162 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross (detail) 1564 Oil on oak panel Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	900*1132 True Color 166 Kb
	Christ Carrying the Cross (detail) 1564 Oil on oak panel Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	800*934 True Color 90 Kb
	The Massacre of the Innocents 1565-67 Oil on panel, 111 x 160 cm Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	1205*900 True Color 250 Kb
	The Massacre of the Innocents (detail) 1565-67 Oil on panel Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna	1000*1221 True Color 222 Kb