Bosch’s The Garden Of Earthly Delights is his most well-known and ambitious surviving work. It tells of a tale of paradise lost and mankind’s squandering of their place in heaven, and it boasts some of the most intricate details known to triptych paintings.
And this interactive website gives you an unfettered look into the beauty and symbolism within this masterpiece.
This interactive map, complete with music and sounds to whisk you imagination to new heights, delves into the details of the symbolic parts that make up this painting. The white tabs are clickable, and begin playing a soothing audio of the multiple stories hidden within the images.
Some of the parts boast of paradise within one iconic moment, and some brag of a damning moment in mankind’s history. Some believe the evils lurking in the background boast of a future moment in mankind’s existence, and some even believe this religious-based tale is a smokescreen for Bosch’s innermost thoughts of his own personal outlook on the state of mankind.
Even the colors are said to be thematic, swirling everything together as a whole to tell a story of mankind’s fall from grace and the actions that surround that fall.
Whichever you choose to believe, lose yourself in these colorful motifs and watch in awe as a tale as old as time itself unfolds right before your eyes. Whether you choose to turn up the speakers on your computer or plug in your headphones, one thing is for certain: this interactive website is absolutely mesmerizing.
Go get lost. It’s worth it.
Featured image courtesy of Wikipedia.
