Critique #1

“The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things”

Hieronymus Bosch’s, “The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things” depicts each of the sins themselves in action, along with four other interesting illustrations.  The original intent by Bosch was to create a wheel of the sins surrounded around the eye of God through the divine Christ, to express the idea that God knows of all one’s sins at all times.  Wrath, greed, envy, sloth, lust, gluttony, and envy are accompanied by death, judgment, hell, and glory within the painting.  The combination of these topics blend easily together due to their common trait of being shunned by the religion of Christianity.  

At the first glance of the painting, it is hard to clearly see the vignettes within it, making it appear to be disorganized.  Bosch created his masterpiece around the eye of God, known by many as Christ, making the particular image the focal point.  By using softened hues throughout the image, it allows one’s eyes to focus on the artistic details versus contrasting colors. The almost symmetrical composition brings the desired balance to the painting, and a clean-cut feeling that Bosch demonstrated.

 Within each of the vignettes are extreme portrayals of the seven deadly sins in action.  Most of the individual images contain violence, and malicious intentions, creating a dark atmosphere that the black background suits appropriately.  Most view these images with fear, horror and disapproval; the precise emotions Bosch intended to have felt to create the desire to never commit one of the fateful sins.