Pieter Verbrugghen the Younger

Pieter Verbrugghen the Younger or Pieter Verbrugghen II (1648, Antwerp – after 1691, Antwerp) was a Flemish sculptor, draughtsman, etcher and stone merchant.

Life Pieter Verbruggen was a son of Pieter Verbrugghen I, who was one of the leading Antwerp sculptors. His mother Cornelia Quellinus was the daughter of the Antwerp sculptor Erasmus Quellinus I who had been the master of his father. He was admitted as a 'wijnmeester', i.e. son of a master, in the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in the guild year 1660–1661. His father was at the time the deacon of the guild. After being admitted as a master of the Guild he remained to work in his father's workshop as a collaborator. He joined on 3 January 1675 the Bentvueghels, an association of mainly Dutch and Flemish artists working in Rome, where he took the nickname (referred to as 'bent name') 'Ballon' (Dutch for 'balloon'). He was admitted to the Bentvueghels at the same time as Abraham Genoels and François Moens.

Pieter returned to Antwerp in 1677 where he worked as an engraver. His works belong to the Flemish High Baroque tradition. He was a fine craftsman rather than an original artist.

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