Hieronymus Bosch Analysis

Hieronymus Bosch
Horrendous torture, carnal mutilations, flying fish, the fires of hell, and the sinister depths of the human imagination are just a few of the illustrations found in the paintings of Bosch.

Hieronymus van Aken, commonly known Bosch, is acknowledged worldwide as one of the most popular and most intriguing artists in history. A true master of symbolism, this paradox-riddled man was a herald in genre painting and landscaping. He was a painter rich in ideas with what is seemingly irrational fanaticism enveloping his work. It is this enigmatic characteristic of his paintings that separate him from the mainstream of fifteenth century art.

Bosch's fascination with the sins of man and thus the punishment for these sins also
set him apart. He delved into the furthest reaches of his imagination to create punishments such as being eaten alive by rodent-like creatures. He painted an image of a severed hand pinned to a metal plate by a dagger. Clearly, Bosch's provocative and perhaps even somewhat offensive ideas have proved his work to be the most bizarre of the time.

Much like his work, his life itself is a mystery.
Records of friends, patrons, teachers, or any other factors that may have led him to the provocative subject matter included in his paintings are nonexistent. It is this lack of general information that suggests that he led a secluded life in a town that is well outside the mainstream of established Dutch painting; 's Hertogenbosch. What is known is that he was married, owned a house, and died at the age of sixty in 1516. He is also said to have contributed several altarpieces and stained glass window designs to the Cathedral of St. John in his native city. Therefore, it is through his work that one is forced to try to further examine the
man.
Bosch's work displays conservative and reformist tendencies simultaneously.
Unresolved tensions such as these were typical of the transitional era in which Bosch lived. The brewing cataclysm of the Reformation locked horns with the conservative church at every opportunity. As a matter of fact, the church was pushed for change from the inside as well. Perceptive clergymen were so convinced of the need for reform that they could commission altar paintings from an artist who was openly heretical, as long as public scandal could be avoided. Some of these altarpieces included Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights (c.1500 Prado, Madrid), The Temptation of St. Anthony (c.1500 Museo National de Arte Antiga, Lisbon), and The Hay Wain (c.1485-90 Prado, Madrid). These are all symbol-laden pieces which acrimoniously satirize the church.
In The Hay Wain, a beggar lies with his head cradled by a nun. What does this symbolize? Is this an attempt to express the protection and affection of the church towards the poor? This would be a legitimate and even logical interpretation. However, this painting is fraught with suggestions of corruption in church. The nun holds a baby which is assumed to be the beggar's. Also, as one looks at the entire picture, one notices nuns scrambling about frantically collecting hay into their bags. A nun in the foreground is making advances toward a musician. Bosch clearly shows his perception about corruption in
church.
Black Mass is the central symbol of Bosch's The Temptation of St. Anthony. The high priestess administers communion to crawling and stumbling ruffians making their way towards the goblet of wine. The headdresses of intertwined snakes and thorns likewise add to this travesty of Holy Communion. In the far background, a monastery burns vividly against the dark sky. What is the significance of this? What is Bosch saying by depicting only winged demonic creatures trying to save the monastery? People go on with their daily tasks of washing their clothes and such as this monastery burns to the ground by their side. Why don't the people try to save the monastery? Could this be a subtle message of inevitable change within the church? Did the people set fire to the monastery? Several conclusions can be drawn from these symbols but there is an obvious dislike towards the traditional church.
In the Hell panel of The Garden of Earthly Delights, Bosch expresses his ideas on just that, Hell. On the right towards the bottom, a birdlike creature sits and swallows a man. Is this Satan? Or perhaps could this be the keeper of the gates of Hell? As the people that are swallowed by this creature are digested, they fall down into a hole in the ground. Is it possible that the hole itself is Hell? Perhaps the rest of the painting is an area where souls get judged and the ultimate punishment is being eaten by the birdlike creature. We can merely speculate.
Bosch's symbolism and ideas float further and further away as the time period stretches between his life and the present. As time passes, his symbols become harder to decipher and his ideas become harder to grasp because there is simply no way to relate. However, time cannot diminish the talent and unique vision of Bosch.
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