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Product Description
Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), one of the major artists of the Northern Renaissance, had a seemingly inexhaustible imagination. Known as the creator of disturbing demons and spectacular hellscapes, he also painted the "Garden of Earthly Delights", where gleeful naked youths feast on giant strawberries. Little is known of Bosch's life and his art has remained enigmatic, variously interpreted as the hallucinations of a madman or the secret language of a heretical sect. The Surrealists claimed Bosch as a predecessor, seeing in his work the imagery of dream, fantasy and the subconscious. Laurinda Dixon argues, however, that to understand and appreciate Bosch's art, we must return to the era in which he lived. Dixon presents Bosch as an artist of his times, knowledgeable about the latest techniques of painting, active in the religious life of his community and conversant with the scientific developments of his day. She draws on popular culture, religious texts and contemporary medicine, astrology, astronomy and chemistry - especially alchemy, now discounted but then of interest to serious thinkers - to investigate the meaning of Bosch's art.
About the Author
Laurinda Dixon received her PhD from Boston University and is currently Professor of Art History in the Department of Fine Arts at Syracuse University. She has published six books, including Alchemical Imagery in Bosch's 'Garden of Earthly Delights' and Perilous Chastity: Women and Illness in Pre-Enlightenment Art and Medicine. Dixon has lectured widely in museums and other public venues to audiences with varied expertise in art history and the history of science. Author's Residence: Syracuse, New York, US
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5 reviews
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful
invaluable
7 Dec 2004
Format:Paperback
i've been interested in bosch since i was 8 years old. since i entered college for a major in art history my interest has grown. i picked up this book a couple of months ago and couldn't put it down. dixon has compiled a wonder book filled with facts and interpretations that are both original and insightful. this book eventually led me to do a thesis on bosch. for all students interested in bosch, it has a detailed bibliography in the back, which can lead to multiple new sources. dixon is outstanding once again.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Places Bosch in Context
8 Sep 2006
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a fantastic book for those interested in Bosch. Readers will appreciate the fatuality of the book. The reality is that little is known about the artist's life. The author makes clear what scholorly research and scientific analysis tells us, and about several different theories surrounding the work. For example: the different styles of paintings could mean different artists working under Bosch in a workshop, or it could just mean he was inconsistent in style. - and nobody knows yet.
This is an important look at the artist who has inspired so many - including the surrealists.
Dixon, to places Bosch into historical context. While many look at Bosch's images and try to paint him as an alchemist, a heretic, or a madman, Dixon approaches Bosch with an open mind, but with an understanding of the times.
This is an important look at the artist who has inspired so many - including the surrealists.
Dixon, to places Bosch into historical context. While many look at Bosch's images and try to paint him as an alchemist, a heretic, or a madman, Dixon approaches Bosch with an open mind, but with an understanding of the times.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Many good points
10 Oct 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The text by Laurinda Dixon is a very plausible account of the life and art of Hieronymous Bosch (c.1450-1516), a contemporary of Leonardo Da Vinci. She contends that Bosch's art was firmly grounded in his Catholicism, and in particular derived from his membership of the Brotherhood of Our Lady, a confraternity that ran its own chapel in the town from the time of Bosch's life and was a central institution in the town's affairs. His art also reflected a deep interest in and knowledge of alchemy. Many of the strange objects, and the constant reference to transmogrification in the strange creatures that issued from his imagination, can be accounted for by this cosmological world view.
Bosch came from a family of painters, extended back before his grandfather, who worked in a different town. He was born as Jerome van Aachen, designating the town of his ancestors. The family name of Bosch derived from 's'Hertogenbosch, where his grandfather had moved. His father was one of five professional artists, and he was the third son to practice in the famiy profession.
The main strength of this volume lies in the context Dixon fleshes out and the detail she brings to the table in terms of relevant or related visual material in the form of other contemporary drawings, manuscript illustrations and paintings. A few more of Bosch's original drawings might have been included, but that leads to the question of attribution. Dixon relies on dendrochronology to ascertain the age of the wood panels to date works, and thereby concludes whether or not they are from Bosch's lifetime. This system is not available for drawings. There is also the matter of the family workshop, and to what extent these paintings can be individually attributed to Hieronymous. Only seven of his paintings are signed by him - and his oeuvre has been calcaluated as less than forty. Many of these are multi-panel works, and often quite large, so they would have taken a long time to paint. A number of works that have been documented are now lost. Another strength of the book is the additional plates focussing on details discussed in the text.
On the downside the main text font is in bold, an unconventional and unnecessary conceit that seems to be part of the design system for this series but one that does compromise the overall design of the book. Many of the captions are included on narrow inside margins and are difficult to access when reading. Nevertheless, the book's size fits well in the hand, so it is not cumbersome. At times I resoted to using a magnifying glass to look at the plates and to find some details the author discussed. The appendices, including glossary, chronology and index are most useful.
Overall, a well researched and presented volume that explains the artist and his work in great detail and without fanciful extrapolation. Highly recommended.
Bosch came from a family of painters, extended back before his grandfather, who worked in a different town. He was born as Jerome van Aachen, designating the town of his ancestors. The family name of Bosch derived from 's'Hertogenbosch, where his grandfather had moved. His father was one of five professional artists, and he was the third son to practice in the famiy profession.
The main strength of this volume lies in the context Dixon fleshes out and the detail she brings to the table in terms of relevant or related visual material in the form of other contemporary drawings, manuscript illustrations and paintings. A few more of Bosch's original drawings might have been included, but that leads to the question of attribution. Dixon relies on dendrochronology to ascertain the age of the wood panels to date works, and thereby concludes whether or not they are from Bosch's lifetime. This system is not available for drawings. There is also the matter of the family workshop, and to what extent these paintings can be individually attributed to Hieronymous. Only seven of his paintings are signed by him - and his oeuvre has been calcaluated as less than forty. Many of these are multi-panel works, and often quite large, so they would have taken a long time to paint. A number of works that have been documented are now lost. Another strength of the book is the additional plates focussing on details discussed in the text.
On the downside the main text font is in bold, an unconventional and unnecessary conceit that seems to be part of the design system for this series but one that does compromise the overall design of the book. Many of the captions are included on narrow inside margins and are difficult to access when reading. Nevertheless, the book's size fits well in the hand, so it is not cumbersome. At times I resoted to using a magnifying glass to look at the plates and to find some details the author discussed. The appendices, including glossary, chronology and index are most useful.
Overall, a well researched and presented volume that explains the artist and his work in great detail and without fanciful extrapolation. Highly recommended.
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