Jan Brueghel’s large format version of his father’s Sermon of St John the Baptist is examined and compared with a version by his brother Pieter in Bruges and the original version in Budapest. The copying procedure is elucidated and contextualised to give a better understanding of the Bruegel-Brueghel family studio practices. The study charts the technical and artistic ties between the two sons of Pieter Bruegel the Elder and their use of the paternal inheritance. Comparisons with Bruegel the Elder’s prototype reveal to what extent the sons were aware of this model in the creation of their own versions. The study also illustrates the specificities of Jan Brueghel’s own style of painting in the making of a copy.