Decoding The Secrets of Bosch’s Hell

The most elaborate depiction of Hell ever

Hell in The Garden of Earthly Delights. Source — Public Domain

Hieronymus Bosch’s Hell in The Garden of Earthly Delights is a visual dictionary that talks about biblical narratives, religious sentiments and human morality.

Each element in this masterpiece is filled with symbolism, which is mind-boggling, unsettling and leaves us with so many questions.

• Why, when and how would the man be damned?
• Is hell man-made?
• Should we follow religion blindly?

I feel this was the whole point that Bosch was trying to make with this painting. Undoubtedly, this was Bosch’s most creative project.

In this essay, I’d try to dissect Bosch’s Hell elaborately with labels and pictures.

• The right lowermost corner shows a pig adorning a nun’s veil. The pig has a quill in his hand and convinces a naked man to sign a legal document. Notice the red seal.
• The helmeted demon offers a seal and the man standing beside the pig holds a pile of sealed documents. Notice a black toad on the henchman. The toad was a symbol of sin and corruption…