While Hieronymus Bosch may now be best known for his fantastical visions in The Garden of Earthly Delights (available here in puzzle form), his reputation was first secured by his depictions of the Adoration of the Magi (also known as the Epiphany), where the newborn Christ is visited by the three wise men bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. A popular theme in the late Middle Ages, Bosch’s interpretations endure for their layered symbolism and drama.
We at Artifact just released a wooden puzzle version of the Bosch's Adoration held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which is his earliest surviving painting (another version, at the Prado in Madrid, was his most copied). Scaled down from 28" x 22.2" to 10" x 15", our puzzle is replete with a distinctly Artifact treatment of themed religious whimsies and a surprising decorative edge.
As we piece together Bosch’s intricate scene, we discover that he and we share one thing in common: a flair for theatrics.
Bosch is named for his birth city Hertogenbosch, a place renowned for its annual Epiphany Play — a grand procession featuring the Magi, the twelve apostles, and the Christ Child. Art historians Matthijs Ilsink, Jos Koldeweij, and Ron Spronkin note in their work From Bosch’s Stable Hieronymus Bosch and the Adoration of the Magi:
“The theatrical nature of the early Adoration of the Magi... may thus be associated with this annually performed mystery, in view of the painting’s architecture resembling stage wings, the statically posed figures around the Virgin and Child, and, overlooking them all, angels holding a drape above the spectacle.”
That Bosch’s painting was shaped by such childhood pageantry comes as no surprise, and like a stage, his Adoration is well-balanced spatially, and despite the many fine details, radiates a sense of gentle peace.
We chose this particular Adoration painting for a puzzle because of its masterful use of complementary colors to add salience to each element: the Mother Mary in blue richly contrasted against the yellow blanket and beige ground, and the foreground shepherds in green and magenta.
Lastly, in researching this post, we learned that the fine city of Hertogenbosch is not only famous for the painter Hieronymus Bosch, but also for the cream puff like pastry Bossche Bol.
May your Christmas be full of treats and peace.