The international conference Jheronimus Bosch; His Patrons and His Public will take place om 16-18 September 2012, at the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center (JBAC) in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands). No less than 27 speakers from 12 countries will shed their light on questions regarding Bosch’s patronage. The conference is organized by the JBAC in collaboration with the the Bosch Research and Conservation Project, led by professors Jos Koldeweij and Ron Spronk of Radboud University Nijmegen.
The work of Jheronimus Bosch (ca. 1450 – 1516) continues to generate much scholarly attention, yet very little is known about this master and his workshop. The iconography of several paintings remains highly enigmatic. Many questions with regard to the body and the chronology of the attributed oeuvre also remain unanswered, since significant variations in painting technique can be observed within this relatively small group of panels. Dated works have not survived, and not a single work can be connected to the painter with full certainty through a documented commission.
One of the most enigmatic but relatively little studied aspects of Bosch’s artistic output is that of his patronage. New information about the patrons of Bosch is of extraordinary importance, since such data will allow for a much better understanding of the original function of these paintings. For example: who commissioned the Garden of Earthly Delights? Who ordered the Last Judgment, now in the Akademie in Vienna? Were these revered works painted on commission, or perhaps produced for the open art market? Why, and by whom, were the figures of donors painted over in at least four paintings? 27 Speakers from 12 countries will shed their light on questions such as these, and others. Keynote speakers are Prof. dr. Reindert Falkenburg (New York University Abu Dhabi), Prof. em. dr. Fritz Koreny (Vienna University), and Dr. Eric de Bruyn. For the preliminary programme and registration information, please visit the conference’s website.
The conference Jheronimus Bosch; His Patrons and His Public will be the third international conference organized at the Jheronimus Bosch Art Center, after Jheronimus Bosch Revealed; the Painter and His World (2001) and Jheronimus Bosch; His Sources (2007). The JBAC is a study- and documentation center for the works of Bosch; the Bosch Research and Conservation Project (BRCP) is currently examining and documenting the oeuvre with high-end portable equipment in a standardized manner. BRCP team members will present their working methodsand some initial results of the project during the conference. For further information, please contact Willeke Cornelissen-van de Steeg by e-mail
L'Agenda des Médiévistes 