Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights

This new series examines several highly regarded masterpieces in an attempt to unravel the mysteries that surround them. Through an innovative concept and a fresh approach, 'Art Mysteries', edited by Marco Carminati and Stefano Zuffi, presents an up-to-date and spectacular reading of famous paintings, investigating key clues that suggest 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.