s-Hertogenbosch’ most famous son has come home. In the medieval centre of the capital of Noord-Brabant (the Duchy of Brabant in the time of Jheronimus) where Jheronimus Bosch(1450-1516) was born and bred, the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center has opened its doors. In this complex – comprising a former church and its annexes – the mental and artistic legacy of the religious artist is brought back to life. Jheronimus Bosch named himself after the city where he lived and worked all his life. The city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch was at the time, one of the biggest and wealthiest cities of the Low Countries. Bosch was already famous during his life time. This is the reason that the vast majority of his works can be admired in foreign museums, in particular Spain has a rich collection, due to the Spanish rule and admiration for the artist.
The Art Center recreated the life of Bosch, including his works however. Nowhere in the world will you be able to view a survey of the works of Jheronimus Bosch as complete as the one presented in the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center. Our unique collection challenges you to not only view Bosch’ work, but to actually enter into the realm of thought of this great artist. In the basement of the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center, we have reproduced an atmospheric fifteenth century artist’s workshop. Here, you can learn about the manufacturing of panel paintings. You will learn about the different procedures and materials used by artists such Bosch himself.
A large part of the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center is situated in a former church. This church, which was dedicated to Saint James the Greater, was built between 1905 and 1907 by the famous Dutch architects Cuypers and Stuyt. The integrated mixture of Byzantine and Romanesque architecture has given the building its sober, yet powerful and balanced character. Inside, the beautiful frescoes attract attention. These paintings were made between 1906 and 1910 by the artists Frans Kops and Georges de Geetere. The excellent quality of the frescoes, which have been restored in recent years, are bound to evoke admiring reactions from visitors.
The seven cardinal sins and heaven and hell played an important role in everyday life in the Middle Ages. They occur frequently in the paintings of Jheronimus Bosch and he even devoted one painting solely to this theme. Through it, he teaches his contemporaries how not to live, a clear and strong warning against the perils of sin. Bosch’ paintings are proving to be a popular and fascinating subject of study. And the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center is happy to support. One of the main goals of the Center is the gathering of information, the facilitating of research and the distribution of knowledge among a public as wide as possible. (Further information: www.jheronimusbosch-artcenter.nl)