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Hieronymus Bosch (c.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 the art of Bosch, 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 alchemy - now discounted but then of interest to serious thinkers - in order to investigate the underlying meaning of Bosch's art.
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 20, 2013
How does one make Bosch dull...? Let's ask Dr. Dixon...
Perhaps I'm being unfair to the author..., But I didn't much like this book, and so have given it up.
The book is full of a wide range of specifics regarding medieval chemistry, alchemy, proverbs, etc. etc., and if one is 'working' (as academics like to say) on a particular triptych, say (the chapters can be read more or less independently), then one will find much of use here -- though even then the book is not really properly footnoted or bibliographed for the needs of actual scholars.
But in all of this, Dixon utterly fails to bring out anything (as in 'nada', 'zip', 'zilch') of the haunting beauty of Bosch's extravagant paintings, and so offers little of real value for the general ('educated layman') reader for whom this series is presumably designed. (The Phaidon A&I 'Breugel', by contrast, is a fabulous book.)
The above is probably too harsh. There is a lot of interesting material here. But much of it -- discussions of medieval astrology, e.g., -- seems to be taken from handbooks and at second-hand, and so doesn't really rise above the level that the generally informed reader will already know... And fails to do so (that is, 'rise above'...) at great length...
Hence, informed, but rather surprisingly dull.
Perhaps I'm being unfair to the author..., But I didn't much like this book, and so have given it up.
The book is full of a wide range of specifics regarding medieval chemistry, alchemy, proverbs, etc. etc., and if one is 'working' (as academics like to say) on a particular triptych, say (the chapters can be read more or less independently), then one will find much of use here -- though even then the book is not really properly footnoted or bibliographed for the needs of actual scholars.
But in all of this, Dixon utterly fails to bring out anything (as in 'nada', 'zip', 'zilch') of the haunting beauty of Bosch's extravagant paintings, and so offers little of real value for the general ('educated layman') reader for whom this series is presumably designed. (The Phaidon A&I 'Breugel', by contrast, is a fabulous book.)
The above is probably too harsh. There is a lot of interesting material here. But much of it -- discussions of medieval astrology, e.g., -- seems to be taken from handbooks and at second-hand, and so doesn't really rise above the level that the generally informed reader will already know... And fails to do so (that is, 'rise above'...) at great length...
Hence, informed, but rather surprisingly dull.
February 26, 2016
The main reason I wanted to read this book was the demonic and subversive creatures skulking around the edges and in the shadows in Bosch's paintings. Sadly, any talk of those was missing from this book. Nevertheless, it was a good book and told me things about Bosch that I found fascinating.
May 1, 2022
A fantastic study of the most influencal painters of the Northern Renaissance but also one of it's most mysterious
January 20, 2023
Excellent biography and resource on hieronymus bosch.
March 13, 2017
This book is aimed at the general reader and is refreshingly clear, providing additional explanations and enlightening digressions in all the right places. In some places it seems a bit rushed (as with the chapter on the Garden of Earthly Delights, Bosch's most famous piece) but there's fascinating detail on every page and Laurinda Dixon takes a genuine delight in the unique strangeness of this painter.
March 8, 2015
Great book about Bosch work I think I had not read anything so specific, full of details and well prepared regarding Bosch artwork until I found this book. Laura Dixon develops a great analysis of the artist and its time that is fundamental to understand his pieces. Unlike other artist of its time, Bosch life is not so popularly known, his persona has been surrounded with cryptic messages and not everyone thinks of him as a well versed erudite man. Yes, indeed he was a great inspiration for surrealism, but what was his message? How could he paint as he did during a time devoted to Biblical messages and Religious paintings?
Even when some of his triptychs and painting do have a very direct relation to the themes of his time, I believe Laurinda Dixon does a great job explaining the morale of the man behind the art; his association with brotherhoods that did have lots of influence in his topics and treatment.
She was also analyzing dendrochronology and scientific methods to better adjust dates of the works. This demonstrates the commitment of a real historic art summary. One of the points I enjoyed the most, was the explanation of the chemical, alchemy elements that are truly explained to detail in the book chapters. She is not just doing a random conclusion, but she took contemporary illustrations of all kinds to further elaborate her perspective of such affiliation.
This book, exploited my interest in the Phaidon Art and Idea series, I acquired 2 more books related to completely different artist, however, Laurinda was by far the best author, loved her writing style, the flow within the ideas and the perfect justification of her conclusions each time around.
Even when some of his triptychs and painting do have a very direct relation to the themes of his time, I believe Laurinda Dixon does a great job explaining the morale of the man behind the art; his association with brotherhoods that did have lots of influence in his topics and treatment.
She was also analyzing dendrochronology and scientific methods to better adjust dates of the works. This demonstrates the commitment of a real historic art summary. One of the points I enjoyed the most, was the explanation of the chemical, alchemy elements that are truly explained to detail in the book chapters. She is not just doing a random conclusion, but she took contemporary illustrations of all kinds to further elaborate her perspective of such affiliation.
This book, exploited my interest in the Phaidon Art and Idea series, I acquired 2 more books related to completely different artist, however, Laurinda was by far the best author, loved her writing style, the flow within the ideas and the perfect justification of her conclusions each time around.
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December 24, 2013i've always had a casual interest in meister h. bosch, but seeing a panel from The Last Judgment in munich amped it into a Serious Pursuit. possibly the first surrealist, people say, but it seems like the early dutch renaissance imagination was pretty grotesque in the first place, a leftover from the medieval era. still, the mystery of hieronymus bosch (was the art created by several people or by one artist?) and the nightmarish chimeras he's so well known for are so stunning/striking/AWESOME, and like goya's dark paintings, seem so much outside the realm of the painterly at the time, that he remains: v. intriguing. from this book, i'm learning that even his earlier and lesserknown works, though less obviously grotesque than stuff like Garden of Earthly Delights, were Weird in their own way: devil's in the details, so to speak.
July 19, 2007
There's a marvellous selection here of Bosch's beautiful, terrifying, and hypnotic paintings. Laurinda Dixon's analysis of the artwork is excellent - a single image ends up taking you on a journey through the superstitions, beliefs, customs, and symbols of Bosch's time. Dixon explains what she can, but there is still a lot going on in the paintings where the meaning may be lost forever.
The chapter about the Temptation of St Anthony was the highlight for me - maybe the most interesting thing I've read all year.
The chapter about the Temptation of St Anthony was the highlight for me - maybe the most interesting thing I've read all year.
November 15, 2007
I picture Bosch as a little troll/rumplestiltskin figure and marvel at what must have gone through his beautifully devious little mind (Garden of Earthly Delights definitely comes to mind). I love the Middle ages, especially in fiction and film, and while it would be tough to call Bosch even a late Middle age artist, his images for me describe those times well. And while Surrealism started centuries later, you must consider him in the discussion. (Again, Garden of Earthly Delights comes to mind.) I could be completely wrong here.
February 27, 2008
Every page is a wealth of knowledge. Dixon demystifies Bosch, and makes sense of his paintings by going back to the time of the artist. Everything was, in this time of Pre-Reformation, considered through a scope of astronomy, astrology, and alchemy, the science of the time, relative to christianity. Bosch has always been one of my favorite artists, but Dixon has exposed the countless metaphors Bosch uses in his paintings to show, for one, the moral irresponsibility of human beings, a subject perhaps even more relevant in our day of age.
August 8, 2010
If the art of Hieronymus Bosch has ever struck you as modern and surrealist then this book will set you straight. Dixon situates Bosch within the historical moment in which he lived and creates an interesting portrait of the medieval mind. I don't read the text of every art book I buy, but this one is fascinating.
April 25, 2009
best bosch book i have encountered...this woman rocks!
March 19, 2024
Nobody does Bosch like Dixon. Tremendously entertaining and enlightening. Also highly recommend Alchemical Imagery in Bosch’s Garden of Delights.
November 19, 2013
Interesting and informative, one of my best reading in 2013.
March 10, 2016
Alchemist interpretation of Bosch' work
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews