The Haywain Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516)

This is Hieronymus Boschs triptych, The Haywain. Its a complex and allegorical work, essentially a moralistic commentary on the folly of human sin and the temptation of worldly pleasures.

What I see:

The painting is divided into three panels, read from left to right.

• The Left Panel (The Garden of Eden): This panel depicts the creation of Eve and the fall of Adam and Eve. God is seen in the upper part, surrounded by animals and the early beginnings of earthly life. Theres a sense of innocence that is about to be corrupted. In the lower part, humanity is already succumbing to temptation, with various sins being hinted at through bizarre creatures and interactions.

• The Central Panel (The Haywain): This is the largest and most dynamic panel. It presents a massive haystack, symbolizing the transient nature of worldly wealth and pleasures. A crowd of people from all walks of life – nobles, clergy, peasants – are desperately scrambling to get a piece of the hay, often trampling each other in their greed. People are being pulled away from the hay by demonic figures, while others joyfully ride on top of it, unaware of the impending doom. Christ is depicted in the upper center, looking down from heaven, while angels and demons engage around a tree that sits atop the haystack, symbolizing humanitys continued spiritual struggle.

• The Right Panel (Hell): This panel is a terrifying depiction of hell and eternal damnation. Its filled with grotesque demons inflicting horrific punishments on sinners. There are scenes of torture, fire, and immense suffering. Buildings are crumbling and burning, and creatures are engaged in acts of cruelty and perversion. This panel serves as a stark warning of the consequences of succumbing to worldly desires.

Subtexts:

• Worldly Greed and Vanity: The central theme of the haystack is that material possessions and worldly pleasures are ultimately worthless and lead people away from spiritual salvation. Everyones obsession with the hay, to the exclusion of all else, highlights this vanity.

• The Temptation of Sin: The entire triptych illustrates humanitys constant struggle against temptation. The left panel shows the origin of sin, the central panel depicts humanity actively pursuing sinful desires, and the right panel shows the inevitable consequence.

• Critique of Society: Bosch seems to offer a scathing critique of his contemporary society, where people of all classes are shown to be equally susceptible to avarice and sin. The church, represented by monks and nuns, is also depicted as being caught up in worldly pursuits.

• The Fall from Grace: The progression from the Garden of Eden to Hell signifies the fall of humanity due to original sin and the subsequent accumulation of personal sins.

• The Illusion of Happiness: The people happily engaging with the hay in the central panel are deluded. Their joy is temporary and based on false values, contrasting sharply with the eternal torment of hell.

• The Importance of Spiritual Salvation: The painting is a stark reminder of the need for piety, repentance, and a focus on the spiritual realm rather than worldly pursuits to avoid eternal damnation. The presence of Christ in the central panel, and the divine figures in the left, suggest that salvation is possible, but it requires a conscious effort to resist temptation.