Dear Jayson,

Unlike you, I had no opportunity to know about Bosch in my youth; I had to wait until I was fairly grown up for it. But I do remember I felt identified with him from the moment I saw some of his paintings in a book, so your feeling that you have lots of things in common with him is perfectly understandable to me.

However, I am not that sure about the date of his death, as the one usually given is, that I know, only approximate.

Actually it is very little what is known with certainty about Bosch and his life. Almost everything is unknown or at best conjectural. There is a Felipe de Guevara, however, who wrote about him in 1560 (remember Bosch died in 1516), who in addition was able to collect a great deal of his works; on his death, these works passed to enrich the Spanish royal collections. But again, all other writers and biographers diverge about every bit of information regarding Bosch.

Best Wishes,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo

Dear Alain,

Thank you so much for showing up. Your post is most kind and generous; I would say all too generous in your appreciation of this forum. In my opinion, however, your choice of your favorite paintings by Bosch do honor your artistic taste.

It's so curious that in selecting the work to be featured I concluded from the start that any other than The Garden of Earthly Delights would not be the perfect choice, and that in the same spell I had to decide whether or not to include the outer wings, "God creating the Earth," in the presentation itself. The answer of course was yes, but then I also wanted to include Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness, a painting that has thrilled me for longer than I can remember, and which in addition is not as well known as the others - which was in keeping with the general rule that I imposed myself from the start for this forum, namely to always feature works that were not all-too known.

So there you are, other than Bosch's Garden, the other two paintings are the ones in your own choice. The Saint John, however, I had to add outside the presentation itself, so I grabbed the first occasion that was offered to me in the form of Kathleen post. I will not mention again why I love that painting, other than to elaborate a bit on why I think it is Saint John's figure in that particular stance which so much equilibrates the painting as a whole: it is his outstretched right leg and foot that ultimately does the miracle and, at the same time, adds the perfect dose of dynamism to an otherwise completely idyllic composition.

Best Wishes,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo

Hello Billdaddy,

You were among the first few people that I wanted to especially invite to this thread because of all the posts that we get at this forum, the ones I love the most are those with real content, the kind that makes you think. And I have never read a post by you that lacks in it.

Life is indeed very strange, and one of the ways it chooses to show it is the one you mention. I am frequently amazed at how I can still find the time to explore the finer things in it, as you put. In the case of Bosch, what amazes me the most is how he has been able to portray that death and carnage and, at the same time, do it in a way that still is visually appealing. Or maybe it was all the way round and even though he could paint the most beautiful things of life, for some reason he needed to show that which is not immediately apparent to our eyes, i.e. the real contents - that which makes it dreadful at the same time. In that sense, the metaphysic depth of his works is astounding.

Was it the work of a prophet then? I mean, a prophet like the great biblical prophets? I don't think he just wanted to play the poet of both the light and the dark side of the world by means of ingenious sayings that were popular at his time, in turn translated into superbly painted figures skillfully arranged on a wooden panel. But, if he was a prophet, he was a Prophet of the Light, because he wanted to show his contemporaries - and maybe the generations to come? - the path to it.

But this is another story, and I will leave it at that.

Thank you,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo

Dear Luis and friends,

With your kind permission, I wish to post the following;

ANCIENT INDIAN ART PAINTINGS -

Click for larger view Ragni Gujari-Miniature Painting Dimensions : 13 x 9 Inches

Miniatures are intricate, colorful illuminations or paintings, small in size, executed meticulously with delicate brushwork. The history of Indian Miniature Paintings can be traced to the 6-7th century AD. Miniature Paintings have evolved over centuries carrying the influence of other cultures. The miniature artists gave self-expression on paper, ivory panels, wooden tablets, leather, marble, cloth and walls. Indian artists employed multiple perspectives unlike their European counterparts in their paintings. The idea was to convey reality that existed beyond specific vantage point. The Kangra Miniatures of the Pahari School made a mark in the 18th century. Though influenced by the Mughals, the Kangra School retained its distinctiveness. The paintings were naturalistic and employed cool, fresh colors. The colors were extracted from minerals, vegetables and possessed enamel-like luster. Verdant greenery of the landscape, brooks, springs were the recurrent images on the miniatures. Texts of the Gita Govinda, Bhiari's Satsai, and the Baramasa of Keshavdas provided endless themes to the painters. Krishna and Radha as eternal lovers were portrayed rejoicing the moments of love. The Kangra miniatures are also noted for portraying the famine charm with a natural grace. The paintings based on Ragmalas (musical modes) also found patronage in Kangra. ....... FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE; http://community.adlandpro.com/forums/thread/1246605.aspx

Thanks again,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo