Christ's Descent into Hell
The Met
Artist: Hieronymus Bosch(Netherlandish, second quarter 16th century)
Department: European Paintings
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Oil on wood
Dimensions: 21 x 46 in. (53.3 x 116.8 cm)
Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Dark, panoramic painting of a fiery landscape with a large head, small figures, and creature-like beings
Detailed Description
A dark, panoramic oil painting depicts a vast, fiery landscape, dominated by browns, grays, and reds. The scene contains numerous small figures, creatures, and architectural elements under a smoky sky. On the far left, a tall, light-colored castle with a round tower and a conical roof stands on a rocky hill. Below it, a brown terrain features scattered skeletal remains and small, dark figures. In the mid-ground, a winding, dark path or river leads towards the center. The central area is dominated by a large, pale head, possibly a mask, lying horizontally. Its mouth is wide open, forming a deep opening, and a small, gabled house sits on its forehead. Numerous small, nude or partially clothed human-like figures are scattered across the landscape, some interacting with animalistic creatures. Fires glow intensely in the dark background, casting red and orange light into the sky. To the right, jagged, light brown rock formations rise vertically. At their base and within crevices, more small figures are visible, some interacting with creature-like beings. The ground is uneven and rocky, with dark pools of water or shadow.
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