The Garden of Earthly Delights
Hieronymus Bosch c. 1450–1516

The Garden of Delights illustrates the world bathed in sinful pleasures. The title is in reference to the garden in the central panel, which is filled with lush plants, nudes, birds and huge pieces of fruit. This painting was made for the private enjoyment of a noble family, a common custom of the day. It is in the Museo Del Prado in Madrid.

Bosch's most famous work is a 3-part altarpiece with shutters, which is also called a triptych (divided into three panels). The triptych is painted in oil and comprises a square middle panel flanked by two rectangular wings that can close over the center as shutters. The outer wings fold shut, and display a grisaille or monochrome painting of the earth during its creation by God.

The three scenes of the inside triptych are intended to be viewed from left to right. The left panel depicts God introducing Adam to Eve. The central panel is a panorama of nude figures, animals, huge pieces of fruit and rock formations. The right panel is a landscape of hell and portrays the torments of damnation.

The painting depicts the history of the world and the evolution of sin. The story of man starts on the outside shutters of the painting with the creation of the world. The story progresses from Adam and Eve engaged in original sin on the left panel to the vista of hell on the right panel. It represents the results of a life of sin where the artist shows different punishments for different sins. The face that peeps out from the center of the painting, under the dish that holds the bagpipes is a self portrait of Bosch.

The exact date of The Garden of Earthly Delights is unknown. Little is known about of the life of Bosch or of his commissions or influences that formed the foundation for the iconography of his work. His birth date, education and art patrons are not exact. There is no surviving record or journal of his thoughts in terms of what or who inspired his work. Bosch’s artistic career was during the period known as High Renaissance. Conversely, he lived in an area of the Netherlands where the old dogma of the medieval Church was popular hence a possible motivation for the theme of this work.
The opinion among art historians placed the painting in 1503-1504 or even later. The wood used for panel paintings during this period usually was stored first for seasoning purposes. Therefore the age of the oak predates the date of the painting by several years. The depiction of a pineapple suggests that the painting postdates Christopher Columbus' early exploration to the Americas.

The Garden of Earthly delights is Bosch’s unparalleled ability to construct a intensely detailed landscape through a series of fantastical exaggerations and distortions of reality.The Garden of Earthly delights is Bosch’s most ambitious work. It is the Bosch at the height of his artistic power.