Kees l’Olandese

BOSCH VISIONARY? He was able to paint cerebrally constructed devils, each part of which has its own meaning .. Jeroen was a coolly calculating mind, who controlled his palette and the atmosphere of his subject in such a way that he could give his inventions a visionary appearance. ALT.: Source of the posted citations: author Prof.Dr.Dirk Bax, p.190. The fragment of the Love Garden panel from the triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights shows a scene with a Griffin and a Flying fish in the air, both with a man seated on them. On the ground is a soft hilly landscape with grass and trees, populated with animals, and people doing funny activities. Further one of the tower structures is partly shown, an all flesh colored jumble of rock plates, suggestive soft forms, and prickly plants. I call it the Flesh Palace. The triptych can be seen in the Prado Museum, Madrid. Created ca.1500. By Hieronymus Bosch.

EDEN’S STRANGE STRUCTURES seem to point to alchemy 15/16c. Detail from the Garden triptych ~1500. Hieronymus Bosch may have seen these alchemic instruments as symbolic to God creating life. But also it can have a negative connotation. For were the alchemists not fools? Compare plate from Brant’s Ship of Fools, 1494. Source of Alchemy illustrations: Alchymie a Rudolf II, 2011.

THE LADIES IN YELLOW AREN’T POOR SINNERS Clothed figures on the panel are demons. Bax explains, they are involved in debauchery: two have the double pointed head cover of prostitutes. Others may be matchmakers. The clothing may be a pun on “geel”[yellow] which also meant <horny>. ALT.: Detail from the Garden triptych -Hieronymus Bosch ~1500; Prado museum. A man is sleeping in a bed with a red curtain, connected to the (Bird-Devil’s) high chair. On him sleeps a demonic toad. Imo Bosch painted here the ancient proverb: “An empty man is the devil’s pillow”. Above him, and next to him, are ladies in yellowish clothing. One is helping a person that is throwing up. The others are in a group, looking curiously at the sleeping person and the scene with the vomiting man.

A POMANDER BALL was worn as protection against infection during pestilence, to modify bad smells, or as aphrodisiacum. The latter two are fitting here, for the Devil Queen’s scents and intents. The globular cases were hung from a neck-chain or belt or attached to the girdle. Appropriate old sayings go like: “Stinking people like smelly herbs” 1610-. Detail of the Anthony triptych - Hieronymus Bosch ~1500 at the MNAA Museum Lisbon.

I’m always surprised by the nice side illustrations of the Escorial Crowning with Thorns- even if they aren’t by Hieronymus Bosch himself. They certainly were made by someone who had some knowledge of Bosch works. Date: 2nd quarter 16c. ALT.: Parts of all grisaille scenes around the tondo are shown. Angels with weapons fight demons that have heads of toads, a fish or perhaps a monkey. Some of their wings are like a butterfly’s. Dying poses are theatrical, some with arms spread. One decorative type looks like the peacock feather eye that Bosch used also. The depictions have a certain quality. (I have enhanced the images for better detail.)

THE TABLE OF SEVEN DEADLY SINS is original art possibly by the Bosch studio. An InfraRed image of details of Superbia [Pride] has some features that were abandoned in the final work. I can’t quite make what’s happening at Top Left- but 2 demons may be involved. (Fantasy colors added by me, as always!) @ the Prado museum; ca.1510-20.

Many authors like to tell that almost nothing is known about painter Jheronimus van Aken alias Bosch ~1450-1516. Well, I’d say: on the contrary! We have many facts. Here a 200 years family tree, with Bosch and 2 brothers and 2 sisters in the middle. (Approximate birth years.) Source: Dr. G.C. van Dijck, 2001.

Some authors call the Garden a False Paradise. The ambiguity is exactly what Bosch aimed for. The people are so sweet & innocent. It makes that you want to be there. Unlike on his Haywain triptych, a capital sin isn’t clearly visible. Or is it Luxury? Imo it’s SLOTH, Idleness. The center panel is often called “Love Garden”. The myriads of people, like a mile-fleurs tapestry, are busy doing essentially nothing. At least nothing productive. In the distance they behave as if in an amusement park. Making acrobatic tricks, or carrying big beasts or berries. In the middle, men on male mounts are in an ecstatic carrousel around a pond of women. In the front, people are standing talking civilized, while some are eating with terrible table manners. Some sit on giant birds (Bosch makes a word-joke with “birding”). In a corner cave are arch fathers Adam and Noah, with Eve being pointed at, as if she started it all. They are in Limbo.

IT’S TIME TO PONDER ON THE SHIP(S) in Bosch’s Garden triptych. What could be the purpose? Bosch wanted to offer viewers not just horrors of Purgatory. So he placed hope signals in Afterlife(“Hell”): Passion items. The ship(s) will relate to this. Either as Passion element or as link to (an) hopeful event(s). Detail of the RIGHT panel from the triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch ~1500; at the Prado museum. ILLUSTRATIONS from “Opstand!” 2011, arkmedia.nl. By Jeff Anderson 1998 from the Lion Graphic Bible. They show some of the evangelic scenes with ship(s)/boat.

SIGNIFICANT CAN BE THE VINE around the trunk of the dragon blood tree. The motif refers to close, unbreakable bonds, incl.those of marriage. In popular legends throughout Europe it is a very old motif, an image of the duration, omnipotence and universality of love. <Vandenbroeck Detail “Eden” panel from the triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch ~1500; at the Prado museum. Depicted are God, Adam & Eve. It is thought as an image of the marriage of the first human pair, blessed by God. The painting, as is suggested often, was a wedding gift.

I cannot help but mention this proverb: “Since the devil himself does not dare (or: cannot) come, he sends an old woman or a monk also: HIS MESSENGER)”. The saying is already in an anthology from 1484! The toad is a devil’s sign! #GardenDelightsBosch ~1500; at the Prado museum @tangopeenvarken spreekwoord“ Daar de duivel zelf niet durft (of: kan) komen, zendt hij een oud wijf of een monnik (ook wel: ZIJN BODE)”. Het gezegde staat al in een bloemlezing van 1484!

An expression apt for this scene: “He is a messenger of Job” [i.e., he brings nothing but tidings of misfortune. <Job1:13-.] <from proverb collection Sartorius <=1656. The saying may well have existed already in Bosch’ times. #AnthonyTriptychBoschLisbon ~1500; at MNAA Lisbon. @tangopeenvarken uitdrukking “Hij is een Job’s bode (=boodschapper van Job)” [d.w.z. hij brengt niets dan berichten van ongeluk (onheilstijdingen). <Job1:13-.]