Lecture “Hieronymus Bosch: The World as Hell / Hell as the World”
When we say “Bosch,” we mean “demons,” “temptations,” and “hellish torment.” The master from the Dutch city of ’s-Hertogenbosch was certainly not the first medieval artist to depict afterlife punishments and fiery landscapes of the otherworld. However, the hell he envisioned is far from “standard.”
Cities in flames; harps, knives, skates, and other objects that suddenly grew in size and transformed into instruments of eternal punishment; demons banding together into armies to wage war on sinners. Bosch doesn’t just portray hell—he shows a world that has turned into hell.
How are his infernal spaces constructed? Why do musical instruments become tools of torture? What do these depictions of the underworld reveal about everyday life in the 15th century? And how did they reflect the wars frequently fought by Dutch cities and their lords?
Even the most inventive imagination (and Bosch had no rivals here!) builds fantastical worlds from elements of reality. Even the scariest nightmare (Freud would agree!) follows specific rules. Let’s try to uncover them.
A Q&A session will follow the lecture.
When: March 1, 6:00 PM
Where: Talent Garden
The lecture will be in Russian.
Google Maps link: Talent Garden Madrid
Tour: How to Read Bosch’s Triptychs: “The Garden of Earthly Delights” and “The Haywain”
Due to the course of history, most of Bosch’s works are now housed in Spain. At the Prado Museum, “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” the most enigmatic of his works that has inspired countless and often contradictory interpretations, hangs alongside “The Haywain,” a grand allegory of human vice that still holds many mysteries.
Hundreds of studies have been written about these masterpieces, and their intricate details can captivate viewers for hours. This tour will explore how Bosch’s triptychs are structured, what is depicted on the exterior panels, the interior scenes, and the transitions between the central panels and the wings. “The Garden” and “The Haywain” are not just paintings; they are images that open and close. Ignoring this aspect means missing the essence of how they should be viewed.
When: March 1, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Where: Museo del Prado
The lecture will be in Russian.
This tour offers a unique format: participants will have access to the Prado Museum during the early morning hours before it officially opens. For 90 minutes, attendees will explore the museum in peace and quiet, guided by a lecturer who will provide deeper insights into Bosch’s triptychs.
Speaker: Mikhail Maizuls – Historian and medievalist, Ph.D. in History. His academic interests include the religious and cultural history of Western Europe in the Middle Ages, medieval iconography, the history of religious and political iconoclasm, and visual anthropology. He is a two-time winner of the “Enlightener” prize.
Talent Garden Madrid • Calle de Juan de Mariana 15, 28045 Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain
