While in Lisbon last year I went to National Museum of Ancient Art to see the Hieronymus Bosch painting "The Temptation of Saint Anthony." Like the more famous "Garden of Earthly Delights," it's a three-panel wonder, housed in a cabinet with hinged doors, and includes magical imagery of religious symbols and mysterious creatures. Astounding.
For those seeking deeper insight into this enigmatic masterpiece, I recommend Eric De Bruyn's illuminating analysis (PDF), which analyzes the painting's rich symbolic and cultural dimensions.
There was another Boschian delight on the way out through the museum's gift shop: a collection of wonderfully sculpted and painted figures in various scales based the creatures depicted in the painting. I resisted the temptation to buy them but felt compelled to take some pictures and share them here.
Previously:
• Hieronymus Bosch inspired piñatas
• Annual Hieronymus Bosch parade on water celebrates the life and ideas of the 15th century artist
• This new Hieronymus Bosch Tarot Card set is a garden of earthly delights
