This degree paper deals with images of Hell by Hieronymus Bosch. The focus of the research is the artist's work regardless of the period of creation. It is specifically limited by the theme of human sin and the way sins were punished. Hell is in the centre of the degree paper, its understanding is based on triadic structure of the Bible, always including the question of Purgatory and Heaven, and from the ethical point of view it questions problems of human sinfulness, and the ways sins are being punished. Paintings by Hieronymus Bosch with Hell as their subject are viewed in a wider spectrum of religious and philosophical aspects of society of that time. Bosch's role in the Brotherhood Confraternitas fratrum beate Marie indicates his need for common religious faith. The paintings Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things, Triptych Temptation of Saint Anthony, The Haywain Triptych and Triptych The Garden of Earthly Delight accentuate the main theme of the degree paper: Bosch's images of Hell are the consequence of the artist's deep faith and not of his heresy. This is why his hell is distinctly apocalyptic. From this point of view Bosch's painting differs from Dante's poetic descriptions of Hell in his Divine Comedy. Bosch includes recognition of the madness of the world, noted by Erasmus of Rotterdam or by Tomas Kemp. Bosch comes closer to Dante at the paintings for Cardinal Grimmani Fall of the Damned into Hell and Damned in Hell, which he painted in romanticised, tragic mannerism, without sadistic overtone, so characteristic for him, and without his inexorable apocalyptical sin and punishment. Such visons of Hell are more or less unique in Bosch's opus. Comparative methods were used here and there, searching for wider spiritual and historic content of Bosch's expression of hell. In the second part of the degree paper the analytic approach to individual paintings has been taken.
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