Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch was born in Jeroen Anthoniszoon van Aken on august the 9th 1450 and died in 1516; he was an early Netherlandish painter. His work is renowned for its use of fantastic imagery to illustrate the moral and religious concepts and narratives.

Not much is know about Bosch’s life or training. He did not leave any diaries or letters, and what has been taken from brief references to him in the municipal records of s-Hertogenbosch, and in the account books of the local order of the Brotherhood of Our Lady. To this day, nothing is know about his personality or his thoughts on the meaning of his art.

Bosch was born and lived all his life in and near s-Hertogenbosch, a city in the Duchy of Brabant. Bosch’s grandfather, Jan Van Aken was also a painter, it is know that Jan had four sons who were also painters. Bosch’s father, Anthonius van Aken, acted as an artistic advisor to the Brotherhood of Our Lady. It is supposed that either one of his uncles or father, taught him how to paint, but none of their works survive. In his lifetime, Bosch became a well-liked artist and received many commissions from abroad. In 1488 he joined the highly respected brotherhood of Our Lady, a conservative religious group of some 40 influential citizens of s-Hertogenbosch.