Bosch Paintings

Hieronymus Bosch was an early Dutch artist who was to inspire the Bruegel family amongst others who followed. Bosch produced his paintings throughout the 15th and 16th century at a time when art movements were starting to develop on from those of the middle ages. Bosch always attempted to get across his moral and religious messages through his art, rather than just painting what he saw. His surname came from the city of Den Bosch in the Netherlands.

Little is known from Bosch's life due to a complete lack of written accounts and historical documents. It is known that he received popularity throughout his life for his paintings, which is not the case for all artists, and that he reguarly received commissions from Dutch-based and foreign customers. His tripychs were also amongst his best works, including The Garden of Earthly Delights which covered Adam and Eve in great splendour and imagination, combining different messages with each part of the tripitych.

Famous Bosch paintings and triptychs included The Garden of Earthly Delights, The Temptation of St. Anthony, The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things, the The Haywain Triptych and The Stone Operation.

Phillip II of Spain was Bosch's best known follower, leading him to buy many original works by the arist throughout his life. These paintings, a large percentage of the 25 that still remain in good condition and fully attributed to Bosch, now reside in the Prado Museum in Madrid as a result.

To conclude, Bosch is a well known artist from a period where little has survived an the artist remains unique for this. Bosch is also another great example of the success of Dutch painters, followed on by the Brugel Elder and Younger, during this period around the early and high renaissance. It is important to remember that this critical period of art was not confined to Italy, as many believe, and that the renaissance took in most of Europe by the time it had finished.