On October 2, calendars mark the birth of Hieronymus Bosch, but behind this date there is an important caveat: the exact day and year in which the artist was born have not been established. The “Prado“ Museum indicates around 1450, not a specific date. Therefore, October 2, 1450 must be taken as a traditionally widespread but unconfirmed reference.
It is certain that Bosch is associated with 's-Hertogenbosch in the historical duchy of Brabant, today's Netherlands. His real name is Hieronymus van Aken. The pseudonym Bosch comes from the name of his hometown, which in Dutch is often shortened to Den Bosch. The artist comes from a family in which painting has been passed down for six generations. Among his ancestors are his grandfather Jan and his father Antonius, also artists.
The artist about whom we know surprisingly little
The first known documentary mention of Bosch is from April 5, 1474. Then he testified together with his father and brothers in a property transaction. Later his name appears in the registers of the Brotherhood of Our Lady in 's-Hertogenbosch, which he joined around 1486-1487.
These documents tell of an artist who was respected and well-established in his hometown, but whose personal life remains largely hidden. Bosch left no diaries, letters or texts in which to explain his paintings. It is also unknown how he himself titled most of his works. The titles we know them by today were given later.
Paradise, Pleasure and Punishment
His most famous work is the triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights“, created around 1490-1500. When closed, it shows the globe in gray tones. When opened, three connected scenes appear: Creation and Paradise, a colorful world of human pleasures and a fantastic Hell.
In the central panel, nude figures, huge fruits, birds and strange architectural forms create a feeling of endless celebration. According to the reading of the “Prado“ Museum; this is not a carefree idyll, but a warning about the fate of humanity. The apparent paradise of desires leads to the punishment depicted in the right part of the triptych.
It is in front of this painting that visitors to the “Prado“ spend a lot of time. The museum's director, Miguel Falomir, told “El Pais“: “There are the biggest crowds“. The reason is the huge number of small scenes and details that turn the work into a kind of visual labyrinth.
Monsters are not the only mystery
For a long time, almost every fantastic painting from Northern Europe was attributed to Bosch. However, modern research shows how difficult it is to separate the originals from the works of his workshop and his followers. The Bosch Research and Conservation Project identifies 21 paintings as being by the master himself, four as works by his workshop, and seven as works by followers.
This makes his legacy all the more interesting. Bosch left no explanation for his demons, fish with human legs, musical instruments turned into instruments of torture, and people swallowed by huge objects. He left only the images in which the medieval fear of sin meets an almost modern imagination.
Bosch died in 's-Hertogenbosch in 1516, and his funeral took place on August 9. In the following decades, interest in him grew, especially thanks to the Spanish King Philip II, who collected his works. Five centuries later, his paintings continue to attract viewers not because they provide easy answers, but because every detail seems like a new question.
Sources: El Pais