Mary Bergmark
Dr. Bailey
ART
23 November, 2014
The Garden Of Earthly Delights
Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights was painted during 1480-1505. This painting was produced on a panel and painted with oil. It is 200 cm tall and 390 cm wide. Bosch’s work was a 3-part altarpiece known as a triptych. Bosch’s art work is a depiction of heaven, sin in the real world, and hell. In this paper, I am going to analyze the biblical symbols in the closed portion of the panel, the left, centre, and right panel of Bosch’s masterpiece. The outer wings is painted with dark black and grey. The world appears to be flat and sphere shaped, with heavens at the top. During this time it was popular to paint perceptions of the world …show more content…
In the bottom right corner Adam and Eve are being jointed together through God, who is depicted as Christ. This symbolizes that Adam and Eve will unite in marriage, and be fruitful. In the Bible God says, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28) (Bible Gateway Passage). In the center of the left panel lies a lake with a pink fountain in the middle. In the fountain the eye will find an owl. Bosch’s uses the owl to symbolize the people who choose to live in the darkness accepting the fact, and being blind to the light of God. This bird may symbolize the inevitable eating of the fruit of knowledge which is not allowed according to the word of God to Adam and Eve. The owls depiction may hint towards this because of the almost hidden image of the bird. It can also symbolize that something evil is yet to come due to the acts one commits. Another significant part of the left panel is the pool to the left of the fountain. Around the fountain you see all different species of unique animals. Bosch uses the imagery of the unicorn to represent virginity and pureness. His painting creates a negative outlook on humanity, but reassures an individual that there is faith. In all, the left …show more content…
This portion of the painting is overflowing with vibrant colors and symbolism. Bosch painted a garden in the centre panel known as a conventional love garden. In a conventional love garden you would find flowers, birds and a fountain. In Bosch’s art work you find explicit images, and during this time period it was immoral to present paintings like his.The centre panel expresses the aftermath of the Adam and Eve being ejected from Eden. In the left hand corner, the cave has a couple that could be Adam and Eve. This part of the panel signifies that God has been forgotten, and people are committing sins. All the human characters in the centre piece are naked and igniting sexual acts. One can notice that in the painting there are no children. This expresses that the individuals are going against God’s word of being fruitful. In this portion of the painting Bosch painted multiple images of fruit. Bosch used the symbolism of fruit to represent sin being committed. The most powerful depiction of committing the sin lust and it being the root of evil is expressed in this portion of the panel. For example, the central fountain has women int he middle, and men riding on animals in a circle. The women in the middle could represent women and power, and the men on the animals expresses that men have sexual urges like an animal. If you look closely at the central fountain, a women
Dr. Bailey
ART
23 November, 2014
The Garden Of Earthly Delights
Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights was painted during 1480-1505. This painting was produced on a panel and painted with oil. It is 200 cm tall and 390 cm wide. Bosch’s work was a 3-part altarpiece known as a triptych. Bosch’s art work is a depiction of heaven, sin in the real world, and hell. In this paper, I am going to analyze the biblical symbols in the closed portion of the panel, the left, centre, and right panel of Bosch’s masterpiece. The outer wings is painted with dark black and grey. The world appears to be flat and sphere shaped, with heavens at the top. During this time it was popular to paint perceptions of the world …show more content…
In the bottom right corner Adam and Eve are being jointed together through God, who is depicted as Christ. This symbolizes that Adam and Eve will unite in marriage, and be fruitful. In the Bible God says, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28) (Bible Gateway Passage). In the center of the left panel lies a lake with a pink fountain in the middle. In the fountain the eye will find an owl. Bosch’s uses the owl to symbolize the people who choose to live in the darkness accepting the fact, and being blind to the light of God. This bird may symbolize the inevitable eating of the fruit of knowledge which is not allowed according to the word of God to Adam and Eve. The owls depiction may hint towards this because of the almost hidden image of the bird. It can also symbolize that something evil is yet to come due to the acts one commits. Another significant part of the left panel is the pool to the left of the fountain. Around the fountain you see all different species of unique animals. Bosch uses the imagery of the unicorn to represent virginity and pureness. His painting creates a negative outlook on humanity, but reassures an individual that there is faith. In all, the left …show more content…
This portion of the painting is overflowing with vibrant colors and symbolism. Bosch painted a garden in the centre panel known as a conventional love garden. In a conventional love garden you would find flowers, birds and a fountain. In Bosch’s art work you find explicit images, and during this time period it was immoral to present paintings like his.The centre panel expresses the aftermath of the Adam and Eve being ejected from Eden. In the left hand corner, the cave has a couple that could be Adam and Eve. This part of the panel signifies that God has been forgotten, and people are committing sins. All the human characters in the centre piece are naked and igniting sexual acts. One can notice that in the painting there are no children. This expresses that the individuals are going against God’s word of being fruitful. In this portion of the painting Bosch painted multiple images of fruit. Bosch used the symbolism of fruit to represent sin being committed. The most powerful depiction of committing the sin lust and it being the root of evil is expressed in this portion of the panel. For example, the central fountain has women int he middle, and men riding on animals in a circle. The women in the middle could represent women and power, and the men on the animals expresses that men have sexual urges like an animal. If you look closely at the central fountain, a women