Hieronymus Bosch,
the Father of Fantasy & Dark Art
Hieronymus Bosch was born Jeroen Anthoniszoon van Aken, ca 1450, the exact date is unknown.
He was a Netherlands painter born within a family of painters and
is known for painting fantastic creatures and for his vivid visual representations
of hell, death, sin and human folly. He often used the standard format
of early Christian art, the triptych.
He is listed as a Renaissance artist in the book "Masters of the
Renaissance (Illustrated): Art" by Dan Kretschmer. If you click
here
and read from page 38 to 40, you will see what this author wrote
about Bosch, very enlightening indeed.
The themes of his art revolve around religious visions which he portrayed
in clever and, apocalyptic ways. His artwork has been "rediscovered"
In the twentieth century as he is the first artist on record that truly
exemplifies what has become Fantasy Art with a dark thematic, that can
safely be considered Dark Fantasy Art, albeit with his unique traditional
touch...
What was his temperament? His ideas of sin? His position regarding hell?
Was he trying to convince others to become more pious and moral in a
time of upheaval when murder, pillage and cruelty towards the poor and
animals was rampant? We can only conjecture...he didn't write any journal
or diary of what was in his remarkably creative mind. But since we know
he was member of the Catholic Church in his hometown and that he and
his ancestors belonged to a pious and exclusive Confraternity called
Brotherhood of Our Lady [1], I assume that he must have been a pious
man and that he wanted his art to impact others and teach a moral lesson.
For a more detailed account of his life, works and an excellent interpretation
of them, please visit Morbid
Outlook ~ Hieronymus Bosch where you can read an article written
by Cyberia.
Links about Hieronymus Bosch:
from Answers.com
from Wikipedia
from WebMuseum,
Paris
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{1} Hieronymus
Bosch: The Man and His Paintings
Recommended Reading
Hieronymus
Bosch: The Man and His Paintings
Although there is no image of the front cover available at Amazon.com,
I know it depicts the top part of the central panel of the triptych
"The Garden of Earthly Delights", his most popular work, which
you can view here.
The book measures 11.5" x 11.5 ", 1980 edition, and it's divided
in two parts: the Art of Hyeronimus Bosch which is only text, and the
Plates, all with a full descriptive page. The font is large and clear,
you will not need to wear glasses.
The book has 130 pages and contains vivid 44 large illustrations in
great details of 8 of his paintings:
"Visions of Heaven and Hell"
"The Adoration of the Child"
"Christ Carrying the Cross"
"Saint Jerome at Prayer in the WIlderness"
"The Last Judgment" - Fragment and 4 illustrations pages
"The Haywain Triptych", 11 illustrations
"Saint John on Patmos", 4 illustrations
"The Garden of Earthly Delights", 19 illustrations, each on
a page