Dear Sara,

What can I say? Your post is just lovely. Never mind its lenght, I have enjoyed every word of it. What you say about Bosch's love of detail is true. Curiously enough, I had never thought of him as a surrealist. I was constraining myself to a time-based convention that has put such names as 'surrealism' and other 'isms' to the different trends of modern art; and in preparing this thread about Bosch, I fell in love with terms like 'apocalyptic' and 'symbolic' art. Like you, I never studied art in any formal setting but have always loved it, hence I have read lots of books and gone to libraries too. But if there ever was a surrealist, it is certainly Bosch. In this connection, Billdaddy's words come to my mind: This man has portrayed a whole world beneath the world in which we live... but we have been blinded to it... but when we fall on hard times or become the victim of evil acts, we see the real world...

I was elated to read about your CDs and the 'Crisis in the Concept of Reality' with Bosch and his Garden of Earthly Delights being featured. Indeed, too much of a coincidence. But then, I and several people around me have been through a series of such incredible "coincidences" of late... I have started to think of the law of probabilities as no more real than a fairy tale.

I also completely agree with you on the need to teach more art and music, writing and science than sports in our schools. This reminds me of something I was told about twenty years ago, which even then made sense to me: A gathering of religious congregations made a study in the characteristics of all the dissapeared civilizations in history, and concluded that three main causes had precipitated their downfall: a weakening of family ties, too much sexual freedom, and... glorification of sports.

Well, I too feel that am maybe talking too much. Again, please accept my thanks for your lovely post.

Best Wishes,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo

Hi Luis,

Forgive me for being so late in responding.   I have been on a project that just pulled me down under, but I am determined to get caught up one way of the other.  hehehe

I cannot see the pics for some reason, but I am familliar with Bosch's beautiful art work, and I can just envision what I cannot see.

Aha, I just got clever and clicked one of the links as I was drawn to the "Garden of Earthly Delights."   What a treat to see this again.


I always look at the art itself rather than the subject, which I suppose could border on demonic.   Everything has a message and I guess it is how each of us interpret it.  The center panel is definitely more provactive than the side panel, so I will guess everyone is right.   lol

Thank you my wonderful friend for sharing such classic materials to stretch our minds beyond the beyond.

Love and hugs,   Jill

Dear Judy,

What a lovely post you wrote, thank you very much for it. But first, let me tell you how sorry I am that you and other visitors could not see the featured pictures (and I do hope they are showing now). And how sorry I am now for this belated response.

Like you, I have often wondered how the mind of Bosch's contemporaries, and their struggle with the notions of good and evil, was like. I find it fascinating the world of demons and dragons whose very existence they generally appear to have taken for granted, either as everpresent in their lives, or underlying their daily reality. In this sense, Billdaddy's post has been most revealing to me. Maybe those demons and dragons are still present in our lives but under modern forms and shapes, and we simply refuse to see them. But as soon as some evil befalls us, we get to perceive that real world of death and illness and destruction under our feet; a world that, in the Christian conception mainly, is brought about by sin.

I believe the purpose of Bosch's works like the ones featured and commented here was to teach everyone, rich or poor, wise or simple-minded, how they could keep themselves free and safe from such evil things as greed and concupiscence, pride and envy, egoism and cruelty, and ultimately death. They only had to turn their eyes back to a primeval time when life was just paradisiacal and man and woman lived in perfect peace and harmony, joy and contentment, under the saintly feet of their Creator. That alone could save them from sin and its dreadful consequences and, indeed, could save the whole world from ultimate destruction. And Bosch, like many religionists of his time and of previous times (and for that matter like the Church itself, if you remember all those stained-glass windows and the unlikely, dreadful creatures atop of the big cathedrals), showed all this to his contemporaries by means of such symbolic representations of Good and Evil as dragons and fairies, demons and monsters, and other grotesque and fantastic beings interspersed among countless allegories and exemplary proverbs most beautifully and wonderfully painted by his masterly hand - the keys to which we have unfortunately lost in the course of time.

Now I may not have a garden to water like you, but have become so absorbed by all this speculation on the subject of Bosch's painting that have forgotten I must eat something before going to bed for the night.

Thanks again,

Luis Miguel Goitizolo

Dear Sir Luis Miguel,

Thanks for your kind invite to this special event. For me it is a little more special, being dedicated to my dear and special friend Kathleen.

I am not enough skilled nor educated to speak about Bosh too much. I like his technique and colors, also his motives. What I dislike is the way he thought he would renew morality.  It is well known that he was greatly influenced by Roman Catholicism and his "artistic pondering" on the sins and human moral falling . Personally, I never have the beliefs that negative critics would lift up any things. Each one man or society has ANY of the good and positive things/patterns. I do believe that PRAISING THOSE GOOD would give a true insight to the "sinners" about their sins, but from the positive start point. That would also avoid any arguing. The worst man would be encouraged IF WE PUT ACCENT ON ANY OF HIS GOOD QUALITIES! At least, he won`t be able to DENY that goodness exist. If this evil man SEE HE ALREADY HAS ANYTHING GOOD - that might be the lamp to SHOW HIM OUTCOME FROM THE DARKNESS.

Don`t we have TWO OPPOSITE EXAMPLES AT THE GOSPELS?

John Baptist, WHO NEVER STOPPED ARGUING WITH HEROD AND HERODIAS , BLAMING AND CONDEMNING THEM A DAY AND NIGHT, AND our Lord Jesus, who WAS QUIET AS THE LAMB BEFORE SLAUGHTERING .... His last words at the cross .... didn`t they took off the sward from Judah Ben Hour`s hands????

Christianity has SO GREAT EXAMPLES .... but FOR THE BEST OF THEM, for those for which Jesus came here ... THE TIME IS COMING RIGHT NOW.

I am sorry if I abused this space to tell something unexpected ... But I can`t lie :) . That`s why I am not too crazy for Bosh.

But, I am very grateful to you dear Luis Miguel. You put a hard job here, and your efforts to enable us this approach to the highest of painting art, is greatly appreciated.

God bless you for all what you share with us!

Sincerely,

Luka