canvas on stretcher, oil paints
70x80 cm
2024
Not so long ago, when we could still travel to Europe freely, I loved visiting the Prado Museum in Madrid. Many of my favorite works are housed there: Velázquez's "Las Meninas," both of Goya's "Majas," Van der Weyden's wonderful Madonna, and others. It was there that I also saw Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights" in person. I can't say I'm a huge admirer of Bosch (I prefer Bruegel), but I consider him a significant artist for his time.
Another thing. I have a considerable cultural background. I'm not an art historian, of course, but many years of teaching cultural history, along with other historical and social disciplines, requires an outlet for intellectual production. Previously, I shared this with children, but now sometimes I don't know where to pour out all this knowledge, accumulated through strenuous effort.
These are the preconditions, if we use deterministic historical categories.
Now about the practical execution. As you may have understood, the painting's composition is structured like Bosch's: three levels, water features, spheres, and color that tie the painting together. On the upper level, everything is seriously philosophical: the eye of God, the tree of life with crystal apples, the fruit of knowledge, the bird of happiness, a ballerina symbolizing art. On the second level — animals of "unseen beauty." Remember: "Under the sky of blue, there's a city of gold... And in that city, a garden, all herbs and flowers, where animals of unseen beauty roam. There you'll be met by a fire-maned lion and a blue ox, full of eyes, and with them a golden eagle of heaven..."
The Lion-Dragon is the central figure, guarding this entire kingdom; he is its master (I am a Leo-Dragon according to the horoscope). Bosch's giraffe gazes at him imperturbably, while a small incomprehensible creature (also from Bosch's Paradise) is clearly wary. I believe Bosch never saw a giraffe in person and painted it based on drawings and stories from 15th-16th century travelers. As they say: "As Bosch created you, so you shall live!" On this same level, there are strange fish — yes, Bosch has walking fish, but not this elaborate.
On the lower level — living characters from the Book of Life, serenely regarding the viewer with a kind smile. Butterflies, flying out from the pages of the Book, connect all parts of the painting and fill the voids.
