How to Read Bosch’s Triptychs: “The Garden of Earthly Delights” and “The Haywain”

Thursday 6. November at 09:00 - Friday 7. November at 12:00

Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

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: November 6 and 7, 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.

Museo Nacional del Prado, 28014 Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain

Google Map of Museo Nacional del Prado, 28014 Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain

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