Hieronymus Bosch

Finally available in English, this landmark of scholarship and interpretation is the culmination of 20 years of meticulous research and scholarly detective work. For the millions of art lovers who are fascinated by the unique and powerful paintings of Hieronymus Bosch, Wilhelm Fraenger's long-awaited masterpiece brilliantly presents the master painter de-mystified.
Hieronymus Bosch reveals important new insights into Bosch's life and provides the first convincing solution to the apparent paradoxes of Bosch's works. Fraenger interweaves a masterly analysis of the shifting tides of religious and secular thought that shaped Bosch's world, with a sensitive and detailed re-examination of the paintings themselves. In a style that will appeal to both the casual reader and the expert, he lucidly explains the meanings behind Bosch's fantastic creatures and landscapes, and provides the key to Bosch's intriguing symbols. More than any previous work on Bosch, Hieronymus Bosch makes it clear why this enigmatic painter is one of the most popular and most provocative artists in history.
More than 200 magnificent illustrations complement Fraenger's compelling text. The result is a masterpiece truly worthy of its subject - an incisive study that is both delightfully readable and inarguably authoritative.