Hieronymus Bosch - part 2

Hieronymus Bosch was born in the town of 's Hertogenbosch near Antwerp, from which he took his name. He was the son of a painter. He is famous for the fantastic and disturbing detail of his panel pictures. In his mature works Bosch developed an original and often macabre language of visual symbolism, sometimes a literal translation of verbal metaphors found in the Bible.

Bosch appears to have spent the majority of his life in 's-Hertogenbosch (Bois-le-Duc), although his family probably came from Aachen in Germany. His chronology is uncertain, but the Gallery's ‘Christ Mocked’ is probably an early work, one of many representing episodes of the Passion of Christ. Bosch's most famous work is perhaps 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' at the Prado, Madrid. In the 17th century Van Mander wrote

'Who will be able to tell of all the weird and strange ideas which were in the mind of Hieronymus Bosch, and his expressions of them by his brush? He painted gruesome Pictures.’ Bosch's work particularly influenced Bruegel in the 16th century. His paintings were collected by Philip II of Spain, and in the 20th century were cited by the Surrealists as precursors of their own visions.

This is part 2 of a 3-part series on the works of Hieronymus Bosch:

1496-1500 Ecce Homo by workshop of Bosch: 

1496-1500 Ecce Homo outer face
Heilwich van der Rullen and Her Daughters
with Saint Mary Magdalen
oil on wood panel
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

1496-1500 Ecce Homo outer face detail

1496-1500 Ecce Homo outer face detail

1496-1500 Ecce Homo inner face
oil on wood panel
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

1496-1500 Ecce Homo inner face detail

1496-1500 Ecce Homo inner face detail

1496-1500 Ecce Homo inner face detail

The Crucifixion of St. Julia
oil on panel 104 x 199 cm
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Florence

The Crucifixion of St. Julia detail

The Crucifixion of St. Julia detail

The Crucifixion of St. Julia detail

c1499 The Adoration of the Magi
(workshop of Bosch)
oil on wood panel 94 x 74 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art. PA

1500 Ecce Homo
oil on oak panel 71.1 x 60.5 cm
Städel Museum, Frankfurt

1500-02 The Haywain triptych
oil on panel 135 x 200 cm
Museo del Prado, Madrid

1500-02 The Haywain triptych detail

1500-02 The Haywain triptych detail

1500-02 The Haywain triptych detail

1500-1524 Job Triptych
oil on wood panel 132 x 98.3 cm
Museums Bruges

1500-1524 Job Triptych detail

1500-1524 Job Triptych detail

1500-1524 Job Triptych detail

c1500 Christ carrying the Cross
oil on panel 142.3 x 104.5 cm
Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

c1500 Table of the Mortal Sins
oil on panel 119.4 x 149.9 cm
Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

c1500 Table of the Mortal Sins detail

c1500 Table of the Mortal Sins detail

c1500 Table of the Mortal Sins detail

c1500 Table of the Mortal Sins detail

c1500 Table of the Mortal Sins detail

early 1500s Retinue of the Magi
(attributed to Bosch)
oil on wood panel 36.2 x 21.3 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art. PA

early 1500s The Adoration of the Magi
oil on wood panel 77.5 x 55.9 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA

early 1500s Two Shepherds
(attributed to Bosch)
oil on wood panel 37.5 x 22.5 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art. PA

c1501 The Temptation of St Anthony triptych

oil on panels 131 x 228 cm 

Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Lisbon:

Outer Wings (closed trypich)

Outer Wings detail

Outer Wings detail

Inner panels  

Inner panel (left) detail

Inner panel (centre) detail

Inner panel (centre) detail

Inner panel (centre) detail

Inner panel (right) detail

Sketches for The Temptation of Saint Anthony
© Louvre Museum, dist. RMN-Grand Palais
Photo M. Beck-Coppola