Hieronymus Bosch was a European painter of the late Middle Ages. His two most famous works are The Garden of Earthly Delights and The Temptation of St. Anthony.
Born in s-Hertogenbosch, Brabant (now in the Netherlands), around 1450. His work utilizes striking and sometimes seemingly surreal iconography. Throughout his career, he used his art to portray the sins and follies of humankind and to show the consequences of these actions. He died in s-Hertogenbosch in 1516.
Known for his dark and disturbing visions, Bosch took a critical look at the world around in several of his works. Throughout his career, Bosch focused much of his attention to exploring religious themes. The Haywain a triptych, first shows Adam and Eve in its interior left panel. The center panel features both clergy and peasants engaged in sinful behavior. The right panel provides a gruesome illustration of where that type of behavior leads—hell. While he enjoyed some success during his lifetime, he attracted an even grander fan soon after his death. King Philip II of Spain became a serious collector of Boschs work, and The Garden of Earthly Delight is said to have been hung in his bedroom to remind the Spanish monarch to stay on a righteous path.
