The term Surrealism might have been officially invented in 1920's Paris but medieval and visionary artist Hieronymus Bosch had been "doing" Surrealism way before his time. He was a Dutch artist born in the fifteen century. As a lover of all things beautiful-but-eery or bizarrely appealing, I would like to share with you a few details of Bosch's most famous piece "The Garden of Earthly Delights"
This tryptich represents 3 different scenes, first heaven, then naked men and women living a life of debauchery, then humanity being punished by God and sent to suffer in hell.
The folly of man eventually bringing him to his own demise seems oddly familiar today.
In these details of the larger painting above, you can have a closer look at the religious propaganda used to promote the fear of hell...
Has anyone been to Burning Man? This painting is just how I imagine it to be.
At the time these pieces were painted it was widely believed that women were the source of all temptations and decadence...
The reason was that they couldn't help it, it was in their nature
Humans were involved with grotesque animals...
and as a punishment for living in sin you could be devoured by a terrifying half-man half-bird monster.
Bosch's art has a fascinating beauty that has inspired generations of artists to this day. Despite the overtly dark religious message of the medieval times, you have to be amazed by his twisted, incredible imagination and talent.
gasp, I'm never living in sin again!
Posted by: corine | Sunday, 06 November 2011 at 08:29 PM