Who is Hieronymus Bosch?
Hieronymus Bosch was a Dutch painter of the 15th and 16th centuries known for his portrayals of Hell and human sin. His paintings are bizarre, intricately detailed, and widely considered a precursor of Surrealism. The symbolism in his work has captivated and puzzled viewers for centuries. Not much is known about Bosch’s life, as he did not keep a diary. A self-portrait painted near the end of his life suggests that he died in his 60s, so his birth has been estimated as 1450. The painter took his last name from his hometown, ‘s-Hertogenbosch. He was born Jheronimus van Aken. Hieronymus Bosch came from a family of artists. His grandfather, Jan van Aken, was a painter, as were four of his five sons. Anthonius van Aken, Hieronymus’ father, was the artistic advisor to the Brotherhood of Our Lady, a prestigious religious group centered in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Hieronymus Bosch spent his entire life in the vicinity of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Around the age of 50, he married Aleyt Goyaerts van den Meerv
