St John the Evangelist on Patmos (reverse) 1499

Hieronymus Bosch made this oil on panel, Saint John the Evangelist on Patmos, around 1500, as the reverse side to a painting of the saint. Bosch lived in the Netherlands, a region then under Burgundian control and home to many monastic orders. Note how the painting juxtaposes the saint’s visionary state with scenes from the life of Christ. An eagle, his symbolic animal, dominates the central sphere. This links to John’s divine inspiration. The surrounding scenes seem to reflect the historical tensions of Bosch’s time. The scene on the bottom right shows pagans attempting to poison the saint, who survives due to divine intervention. In the background we see the Crucifixion. Bosch seems to be commenting on the struggle between faith and heresy. The painting might be read as a defense of orthodox belief during a time of change. To understand Bosch fully, art historians consult contemporary theological texts and devotional images. It is through understanding the cultural and institutional contexts that we can interpret its true meaning.