the Bird of Wisdom … in Ancient Greece, a symbol of higher wisdom, prudence, intelligence the Evil Bird … in the Middle Age, a symbol of evil, deceit or falsehood, representing the Satan and his curses, a monster of the night associated with menace and death

5. the Bird of Wisdom …
in Ancient Greece, a symbol of higher wisdom, prudence, intelligence
the Evil Bird …
in the Middle Age, a symbol of evil, deceit or falsehood, representing the Satan and his curses,
a monster of the night associated with menace and death

6. a fabulous imagination
a style that did not correspond to any artistic current of the time
countless details, numerous symbols, moralizing messages
images evoking the defects and decadence of society at the time, the fears of the end of the world and the last judgment

7. Jheronimus Bosch’s Owls
(2)

8. from creation of the world to hell at the
End of Days ...
Adam and Eve
naked human figures
plants and fruits
animals realistic, some exotics
fantastic creatures, birds and winged fish
and
owls evoking evil
Jheronimus Bosch
Triptych of Garden of Earthly Delights
Le Jardin des délices, triptyque
1500
Museo del Prado, Madrid

39. a world of greed, desire and lust: ...
an angel looking up at the sky
an devil playing the trumpet
and
an owl watching the multitude of fools
engaged in a variety of sins
Jheronimus Bosch
Triptych of Haywain
Le Chariot de Foin
1500-1502
Museo del Prado, Madrid

46. Mary holding Jesus on her lap ...
a precarious hut
grotesque, disturbing people
a partially naked figure with a red mantle
and
the evil nature …
a dead mouse
and
two concealed owls symbolizing the
imminence of danger
Jheronimus Bosch
The Adoration of the Magi
L'Adoration des Mages
1495
Museo del Prado, Madrid

56. olga_oes
Jheronimus Bosch’s Owls (2)
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57. Jheronimus Bosch was an Early Netherlandish painter.
He must have lived in two worlds simultaneously – the real one and the world of his imagination. His work is
known for macabre and nightmarish depictions of hell, fantastic imagery, detailed landscapes, and
illustrations of religious concepts and narratives.
One of the motifs that regularly appear in his works is an owl. Hieronymus Bosch was probably the most
owlish major artist of all time. All of them painted in a very realistic manner keep a watchful eye.

58. Jheronimus Bosch’s Owls
There is a lot of speculation about what his owls ‘mean’, and how they should be read.
This is not helped by the seemingly multiple and contradictory meanings which have been associated with owls.
Sometimes they might signify wisdom, other times ignorance; they may bring the comfort of sleep at night, or
be harbingers of murder and the occult.
Around 1500 the owls were generally associated with menace and death and had an emblematic, moralistic
significance. And it seems that Bosch generally used it as a symbol, placing it in contexts with an atmosphere
of menace.
Even to emphasize it’s threatening presence he sometimes drew it surrounded by other, hostile birds that try to
drive the owl away.