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

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
(1)

8. a cardinal red robe
a hollow tree
a branch
and
an owl symbolizing heresy
Jheronimus Bosch
St Jerome in Prayer
Saint Jérôme en prière
1505
Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ghent

14. a conjurer
an assistant
a man stealing the money
and
a little owl from the basket, which
symbolizes the magician’s intelligence,
but diabolical intelligence
Jheronimus Bosch
The Conjurer
L’Escamoteur
1502
Musée Municipal, Saint-Germain-en-Laye

20. a boat without sail or rudder
a voyage of fools to hell laughing and
singing
and …
watching the scene
an owl that symbolizes the demon
Jheronimus Bosch
La Nef des Fous
The Ship of Fools
1490-1500
Musée du Louvre, Paris

26. the dangers of the world ...
a tavern with a swan, symbol of the Devil
an wayfarer allured by the promise of pleasure
barrel, magpies, a pig’s foot
and
a owl
elements that may have a nefarious connotation
Jheronimus Bosch
The Wayfarer or The Pedlar
Le Vagabond, ou Le Colporteur, ou Le Fils prodigue
1500
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam

32. a giant egg cracked on all sides
crazy characters representing heresy,
madness, envy, stupidity of men
a monkey, a snake
and
an owl representing evil and the devil ...
Jheronimus Bosch, follower of, d'après
Concert in the Egg
Le Concert dans l'œuf
1561
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille

37. monsters and demons ...
a toad, a symbol of witchcraft as well
as of luxury
a singer with a pig face
and
a little owl, an allegory of heresy and
symbol of death
Jheronimus Bosch
Triptych of Temptation of St Anthony
Triptyque de la Tentation de saint Antoine
1505-1506
Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Lisbon

45. three Christian Anchorite Saints
symbols of evil
devils
monstrous animals
a man, a beehive
and
a owl, perhaps an allusion to
alchemic mercury
a nun head with feet
and
an owl and its nest
Jheronimus Bosch
Hermit Saints Triptych
Triptyque des ermites
1505
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

56. Saint Julia of Corsica
and
executioners, common people
a fainted man, perhaps Wilgefortis's
intended husband
and
an owl
Jheronimus Bosch
Saint Wilgefortis Triptych, The Crucifixion of St Julia
Triptyque Sainte Wildefortis, Le Martyre de sainte
Julie
1497
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

62. humanity at evil’s mercy:
insect-like demons torture the men
and
a owl watching the devil’s final blow
Jheronimus Bosch
The Last Judgment, triptych
Le Jugement dernier, triptyque
1486
Groeningemuseum, Bruges

69. Ecce Homo
two emblems of evil in Christian iconography …
a giant toad on the shield of one of the soldiers
and
an owl in the niche above Pilate
Jheronimus Bosch
Ecce Homo
1475-1480
Städelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt

76. olga_oes
Jheronimus Bosch’s Owls (1)
images and text credit www.
Music OVERWERK - Daybreak
created olga.e.
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77. 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.

78. 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.