Garden of Earthly Delights, outer wings of the triptych Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516)

The exterior of the triptych, known as the Garden of Earthly Delights, presents a depiction of the world as it was on the third day of Creation. The two panels, joined to form a single image when closed, reveal a landscape rendered in subdued, monochromatic tones. This world egg is divided in half by a dark vertical line down the center.
On the left panel, a nascent world unfolds under a stormy, cloud-filled sky. The land is dotted with miniature architectural structures and sparse vegetation. Strange, bird-like creatures and unsettling forms populate the watery expanse. In the upper left corner, a small, detailed image shows God presenting Eve to Adam in a landscape that hints at Paradise, but with a subtle disquietude. Two phrases in Latin are written above each panel: Quia ipse dixit et facta sunt (For He spoke and they were made) and Ipse mandavit et creata sunt (He commanded and they were created), emphasizing divine omnipotence.
The right panel continues the theme of a young world, with a similarly rendered landscape featuring rolling hills, scattered trees, and more structured buildings. The atmosphere remains somber and ethereal.
The subtext of these outer wings is a contemplation of the divine act of creation, establishing the primordial state of the Earth before the advent of humanitys complexities, and perhaps alluding to the fragility and potential for both beauty and corruption inherent in Gods creation, setting the stage for the more vibrant and symbolic inner panels. The muted palette suggests a world untouched by sin or fully realized life, a blank canvas awaiting the events that will unfold within the triptych.