Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights: Art Mysteries

The Art Mysteries series examines several highly regarded masterpieces in an attempt to unravel the mysteries that surround them. Edited by Marco Carminati and Stefano Zuffi, they present an up-to-date and spectacular reading of famous paintings, investigating key clues to previously unknown background information. What we know about the life of Hieronymus Bosch gives us no inkling whatsoever of the explosion of fantasy, the weird and wonderful world, and the bizarre devilry in his oeuvre. The destination and function of his most important works are still a complete mystery. What was the purpose of the triptychs populated by seething masses of figures? Who could have immersed themselves in that world of symbols, references and allusions? The master's undisputed masterpiece, The Garden of Earthly Delights, is still linked to Gothic imagery but, at the same time, already embraces the extraordinary innovations of the sixteenth century, including the geographical discoveries in the Americas, from the Caribbean archipelago to Brazil, and in southern Africa. AUTHOR: Stefano Zuffi was born in 1961 in Milan. After graduating in History of Medieval and Modern Art at the University of Milan and in Museology and Museography at Milan Polytechnic, he began a career as an editorial and scientific consultant in art history. He has authored over 60 books for various publishers, some of which have been translated into several languages. He also contributes to cultural magazines and radio and is a screenwriter for documentaries. ILLUSTRATIONS: 31 colour