Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights
The triptych oil painting on oak panel created by the Early Netherlandish master Hieronymus Bosch between 1490 and 1510, between the ages of 40 and 60, is known today as The Garden of Earthly Delights. Since 1939, it has been kept in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain.
Bosch created three substantial triptychs that are readable from left to right and in which each panel contributed significantly to the overall meaning. These three pieces each address different yet related historical and religious subjects. The left and right panels of triptychs from this era frequently depict Eden and the Last Judgment, respectively, with the central panel containing the major topic. Triptychs from this era were typically designed to be read consecutively. Although it is unknown if The Garden was intended to serve as an altarpiece, it is generally believed that the extreme subject matter of the inner center and right panels makes it unlikely that it was meant to be used in a church or monastery and was instead commissioned by a lay patron due to its extreme nature.
Generally speaking, this weird triptych is seen as a distant precursor to surrealism. In actuality, it's the expression of a late medieval artist who thought that Heaven, Hell, and the Devil were actual places. The left panel of the three images portrays Christ delivering Eve to Adam, while the right panel displays the wrath of Hell; it is less clear whether the middle panel shows Heaven. The damned are attacked by giant ears brandishing phallic knives in Bosch's vivid depiction of Hell, while a bird-beaked bug king wearing a chamber pot as a crown sits on the throne and consumes the unfortunate before swiftly defecating them out again. This riot of symbols has generally resisted interpretation, which would explain why it is so popular.
Artist: Hieronymus Bosch
Created: 1503 - 1515
