History Creator / HieronymusBosch

Hieronymus Bosch (born Jheronimus van Aken, circa 1450 – 9 August 1516) was a Dutch [[TheMiddleAges medieval]] / [[UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance Renaissance]] painter, best known for his colorful and grotesque depictions of {{Hell}}. He made several paintings about the subject and nobody has ever come close to his vivid and creepy visions of the place: Ugly [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demons]] torturing people in complete agony and scenes which predate {{Surrealism}} by five centuries. Most of these strange NightmareFuel scenes are the product of symbolism that might be clear and understandable to a (noble or monied, and certainly educated) viewer in Bosch's age, but now, centuries later, can be difficult to decipher. Bosch's paintings show mankind in all of his corruptness and meanspiritness, doomed to end up in Hell, while only a few chosen ones will be allowed in {{Heaven}}. Even the Church is not spared in his fatal vision. He was able to depict north-west European society during {{the Late Middle Ages}} in a scathingly satirical and memorable light, one that continues to inspire artists to this day.

** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Haywain_Triptych "The Haywain Triptych"]] shows numerous people fighting to grab some hay from a large wagon. On the lower right side of the painting several nuns are collecting hay for a fat monk.

* ''Music/{{Dangerous}}'' by Music/MichaelJackson shows a nude couple in a bubble on the album cover, near the right. This is a shout-out to the middle panel of ''The Garden of Earthly Delights''.

* The land of The Boiling Isles in the Disney animated series ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' was inspired by Bosch's work. In fact, some of the show's background characters are derived directly from The Garden of Earthly Delights, and the recurring character Boscha was named in tribute to Bosch.

* {{Satan}}: The devil with the oven in his belly on "The Last Judgment" [[http://www.flickr.com/photos/profzucker/7473590936/]]

%%* CrapsaccharineWorld: The middle panel of "The Garden Of Earthly Delights".
* CreatorCameo: The Tree Man in the trope image is reputed to be a self-portrait, but this has never been confirmed. The same goes for the Peddler in the eponymous tryptich and one of the men helping Saint Anthony on the triptych of the leftmost panel of "the Temptation of St. Anthony".

* OminousOwl: In medieval society owls were seen as evil and foolish, thus explaining why they are often seen on Bosch's paintings in the presence of morally fallible human beings.

%%* RuleOfSymbolism: Many images are meant symbolically.

%%* SelfInflictedHell: ''The Garden of Earthly Delights'' depicts sinners getting punished in {{Ironic Hell}}s.

* Synonamess Botch, the villain in ''WesternAnimation/TwiceUponATime'', is named after him.

%%* AfterTheEnd: Bosch painted a very grim and fatalistic view.

%%* CrapsackWorld: Humanity seems to be doomed to go to hell.

* TheDungAges: Many of our ideas about the Middle Ages as a filthy, backward, God and Hell fearing society full of peasants being suppressed by kings, noblemen and the Church are derived from Bosch's paintings.

* MedievalMorons: His painting ''"The Magician"'' shows spectators easily tricked by a magician, while his companion robs their money when they aren't paying attention.

%%* SelfInflictedHell: Suggested by ''The Garden of Earthly Delights'' and its [[IronicHell Ironic Hells]].
* SevenDeadlySins: Depicted in his paintin [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Deadly_Sins_and_the_Four_Last_Things "The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things"]]. Clockwise from the top of the circle is Gluttony, Sloth, Lust, Pride, Wrath, Envy, and Greed.

%%* SevenDeadlySins: All sins are depicted on his paintings.

'''Hieronymus Bosch in popular culture'''

Hieronymus Bosch (born Jheronimus van Aken, circa 1450 – 9 August 1516) was a [[UsefulNotes/TheNetherlands Dutch]] [[TheMiddleAges medieval]] / [[UsefulNotes/TheRenaissance Renaissance]] painter, best known for his colorful and grotesque depictions of {{Hell}}. He made several paintings about the subject and nobody has ever come close to his vivid and creepy visions of the place: Ugly [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demons]] torturing people in complete agony and scenes which predate {{Surrealism}} by five centuries. Most of these strange NightmareFuel scenes are the product of symbolism that might be clear and understandable to a (noble or monied, and certainly educated) viewer in Bosch's age, but now, centuries later, can be difficult to decipher. Bosch's paintings show mankind in all of his corruptness and meanspiritness, doomed to end up in Hell, while only a few chosen ones will be allowed in {{Heaven}}. Even the Church is not spared in his fatal vision. He was able to depict north-west European society during {{the Late Middle Ages}} in a scathingly satirical and memorable light, one that continues to inspire artists to this day.

* AfterTheEnd: Bosch painted a very grim and fatalistic view.

* AuthorAvatar / CreatorCameo: Supposedly the Tree Man, seen in the page image. Also the Peddler and one of the men helping Saint Anthony on the triptych of the leftmost panel of "the Temptation of St. Anthony" are said to be self-portraits.
* Literature/TheBible: He painted Adam and Eva in Paradise ("The Garden Of Earthly Delights"), the Three Kings visiting Jesus ("Adoration Of The Magi"), Christ carrying the cross and being crowned with thorns, hermits, saints and martyrs ("Hermits Saints Triptych", "The Temptation of St. Anthony"), The Last Judgment and, of course, the most infamous depictions of Hell.

* CrapsackWorld: Humanity seems to be doomed to go to hell.
** CrapsaccharineWorld: The middle panel of "The Garden Of Earthly Delights".

* TheGrimReaper: Featured in his painting ''"Death And The Miser"''.

* {{Hellgate}}: Present in some of Hell paintings.

* NightmareFace: Many! "Christ Carrying the Cross" being just the most famous example.

* OurMonstersAreDifferent: The same goes for his monsters.

* RuleOfSymbolism: Many images are meant symbolically.

* SceneryGorn and SceneryPorn: You will probably never get tired of watching for all of those gruesome details on Bosch's paintings.
* SelfInflictedHell: Suggested by ''The Garden of Earthly Delights'' and its [[IronicHell Ironic Hells]].
* SevenDeadlySins: All sins are depicted on his paintings.

* SingleTear: Christ appears to be shedding one of these in "Christ Carrying the Cross".
* SpookyPainting: Probably one of the best examples.

Hieronymus Bosch (born Jheronimus van Aken, circa 1450 – 9 August 1516) was a [[UsefulNotes/TheNetherlands Dutch]] [[TheMiddleAges medieval]] painter, best known for his colorful and grotesque depictions of {{Hell}}. He made several paintings about the subject and nobody has ever come close to his vivid and creepy visions of the place: Ugly [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demons]] torturing people in complete agony and scenes which predate {{Surrealism}} by five centuries. Most of these strange NightmareFuel scenes are the product of symbolism that might be clear and understandable to a (noble or monied, and certainly educated) viewer in Bosch's age, but now, centuries later, can be difficult to decipher. Bosch's paintings show mankind in all of his corruptness and meanspiritness, doomed to end up in Hell, while only a few chosen ones will be allowed in {{Heaven}}. Even the Church is not spared in his fatal vision. He was able to depict north-west European society during {{the Late Middle Ages}} in a scathingly satirical and memorable light, one that continues to inspire artists to this day.