We have been planning this trip for a year. Of course it was going to be a block buster. To celebrate the 500 years Jheronimus Bosch in the Noordbrabants museum in his home town Bois-Le-Duc in Holland. Marielle who is a crack on the subject, introduced me to this painter some ten or more years ago. Everyone knows Bosch without necessarily knowing his background and really who he is. Those mythical creatures, horrific animals and sour faced individuals must have caught our attention somewhere along the line. Marielle must have seen all the paintings that are in Europe but when we were looking at the books yesterday, there is still a lot of arguments going on about « was it an original or wasn’t it? » Even to the extent that the Prado in Madrid, withdrew two paintings they were to send as they contested the 6 years of research and for two paintings, the findings of the specialists.
PRADO'S DECISION
There is NO way I can explain Bosch. The detail, the surprises in each one of his paintings needs to be studied, looked at closely and discovered. He died at the beginning of August in 1516 and was about 65 years old. Quite an age at that epoch. His wife outlived him by more than six years. I know she was older than he was to begin with, but how much older is another question. The couple did not have children. His family were all active painters although not a single piece of their work has survived. "Jeroen" or "Joen" as he was known was the genius of the family.
Another point to remember is how much he influenced later artists and contributed to surealism....Dali for one was a great follower.
JHERONIMUS BOSCH - VISION OF A GENIUS
I cannot say that the crowds helped. There was a lot of jumping from one gallery to another. It was not until I came home and studied the catalogue that I began to see that this was perhaps, « the exhibition of the century ».
The day after we arrived, (Pierrette had flown over from the U.K) unfortunately raining and windy, we decided to go to the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center. A very curious sculpture welcomed us.
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| The Art Centre |
It was not until l saw it in this little video on YOU TUBE, that I discovered it was a fountain. It was difficult to believe but the centre was virtually empty. Alright, we were there at opening time just as we were the following day for the retrospective. This was bliss. Copies, reproductions of the work of the Master with a marvelous little book detailing each painting, giving the real one it’s « home » and explaining the details of a painting. Here we could actually put our nose on the painting, walk around it and discover what it was all about.
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| Inside the centre with Marielle and Pierrette a long way off |
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| Wandering along |
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| A beast flying |
Certainly not something that could be done in front of an authentic Bosch. There are so many contestations today about « is it a Bosch? A Follower? A copy? » Even to the extent of one small Bosch being identified not so long ago and bought by a private collector. Today there must be no more than 25 or perhaps 27 paintings of his which are authentic. Here though in the centre each reproduction could be scrutinized. I surely learnt more about his work there than l did in the exhibition. And even more when l came back home and studied the catalogue not to mention the information on Internet which is overwhelming. You understand then, why I don’t intend going into long explanations about his work. I would be incapable of doing so.
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| A youngish version |
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| An oldish version |
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| The book shop surrounded by monsters |
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| The Pedlar - Triptych |
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| The Haywain Triptych - 1510-16 |
We all have our favorites and without any doubt, mine is « Saint John the Baptist ». (1490-95) Although the painting has been reduced in size and the painting on the back lost, St John lies in desolate surroundings where he has withdrawn. When he baptized Christ in the River Jordan, he declared
« Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! » Bosch refers to this with a lamb and John is painting to it. There is such a gentleness in both John’s face and he lamb and there are no monsters around.
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| Saint John The Baptist |
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| Can you see the little bird? |
And those which are contested?
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| The conjurer- 1510-30 by a Follower |
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| look at the fingers |
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| The cure of Folly - Workshop or follower |
The drawings too were beautiful. Perhaps I am attracted to such as much as paintings as invariably they are « trial runs » for a final painting. Here we can see the beasts, the monsters, the witches and many other characters before they take life in a painting….
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| The Owls Nest - ROTTERDAM |
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| Tree Man |
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| Two Monsters - Berlin |
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| Monsters - Berlin |
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| Model Sheet with Witches - Louvre |
Even if we could, l took very few photos in the centre….those l took when l got home and I'm sorry but I could not find all the titles
THE ART CENTRE
Before leaving Marielle informed us that we hadn’t visited the Bosch Atelier, a replica in the Art Centre. Really charming and there l did take photos. …..
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| Inside the atelier |
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| The pedlar leaving a house of sin .... |
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| Looking out of his window |
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| A few objects to paint |
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| Another picture on an easel |
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| Bosch painting |
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| with an owl |
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| Out on the porch |
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| looking down at the canal and it looks like a head.... |
The exhibition goes to Madrid when in finishes in Bois-le-Duc in May. I wonder if the Dutch museum will reciprocate or others international centres and not send their paintings? I wont be going. In the first two weeks, 280 000 spectators had been to Holland. They were predicting 450 000. I would think it will go far beyond that number ….
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