Heironymus Bosch
Heironymus Bosch was born and lived in Hertogenboscha, a city in the Duchy of Braban, he lived here for all of his life from his birth in approximately 1450 to his death on August 9th 1516. The date of his actual birth was never known for sure, but was estimated by a portrait he created just before his death. The picture to the left is the piece that was used to predict his birth, the portrait shows a man in his late 60’s and is suspected to be a self-portrait. Heironymus was born Jheronimus or Jeroen Anthonissen Van Aken and signed many of his paintings by Jeheronimus Bosch. Heironymus’s grandfather, Jan Van Aken was also a painter who was also born and lived in the Duchy of Braban.
Heironymus Bosch is mainly famous for his triptychs, the most famous is the piece The Garden of Earthly Delights, the original title for this piece did not survive and it was renamed. The piece (below) shows three panels, the first two lovely green and blue colours with pink and cream tones, creating a light and happy atmosphere. These two panels show happy delights and spoils of the earth and humans joyfully enjoying their lives. But the third panel is dark, black and brown colours are used to create a heavy and dark atmosphere. For this third panel depicts Hell and all the horrific goings on believed to be in hell. Heironymus has an amazing imagination and has created terrifying yet interesting creatures, half-human half-animal, performing acts of torture on the humans that gave in to temptation in their lives. The first two panels contrast greatly when compared to the third panel, as the first two are bright and joyous but the third is so dark, sinister and suffocating. This piece has attracted so much attention over the years and it is clear to see why, the piece is so full of interesting elements and features. This piece was created using grisaille, a technique where the painting is created in monochrome, then he has layered is with colour, Heironymus’s colour palette is well chosen and placed, he used certain colours and tones to express the atmospheres and emotions he wanted to provoke in the on lookers mind. For example, pale and light for happy and peaceful atmosphere and dark colours and tones for the more sisinter, scary atmosphere.
Less than 25 paintings remain that can be traced back to Heironymus as he seemed to not sign a lot of his work, but signing your work was not commonly seen back then but he did it on quite a few of his pieces, he sometimes signed his work with the name he was given at birth, Jheronimus Bosch. Even though he signed a lot of his work he never dated it so it is very hard to place his work in to a time line.
The Prado Museum in Madrid own 5 of Heironymus’s pieces of artwork, they were collected by them after Philip II of Spain had acquired them in the late 16th century. The museum now owns The Garden of Earthly Delights, The Adoration of Magi, The Seven Deadly Sins of the Four Last Things, The Stone Operation and The Haywain Triptych. The piece The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things. I love the layout of this piece, in the middle of the piece is a large circle with imagery traveling around it and it is surrounded by four smaller circles with one piece in each. The floating scrolls above and below the center circle creates an elegant and holy.
Below is the piece called The Stone Operation, the writing around the piece says “Master, cut away the stone, my name is Lubbert Das”
In the piece a doctor is using a technique called trepanning, this is where a hole will be cut in to the man’s skull. Their have been many interpretations of this piece. Yet, so many bizarre happenings are going on it is hard to decipher the real meaning. In my opinion, I see a mad doctor trying to perform an operation to help the man, yet this will be fruitless. The picture shows me that the procedure is being done with massive lack of care of knowledge. The woman with the book on her head shows me more strange elements to which are very hard to understand. But all together I love this piece, the bizarre act painted in a neat circle surrounded by amazing gothic writing has an altogether amazing outcome.
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