The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things

This article is about the Hieronymus Bosch painting. For other uses, see Seven deadly sins (disambiguation).
The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things
ArtistHieronymus Bosch (disputed)
Yearc. 1500
MediumOil on wood
Dimensions120 cm × 150 cm (47 in × 59 in)
LocationMuseo del Prado, Madrid

The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things is a painting attributed to the Early Netherlandish artist Hieronymus Bosch[1][2] or to a follower of his,[3] completed around 1500 or later. Since 1898 its authenticity has been questioned several times. In 2015 the Bosch Research Conservation Project claimed it to be by a follower, but scholars at the Prado, where the painting is on display in a sealed case, dismissed this argument. The painting is oil on wooden panels and is presented in a series of circular images.

Four small circles, detailing the four last things — Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell — surround a larger circle in which the seven deadly sins are depicted: wrath at the bottom, then (proceeding clockwise) envy, greed, gluttony, sloth, extravagance (later replaced with lust), and pride, using scenes from life rather than allegorical representations of the sins.[4]

At the centre of the large circle, which is said to represent the eye of God, is a "pupil" in which Christ can be seen emerging from his tomb. Below this image is the Latin inscription Cave cave d[omi]n[u]s videt ("Beware, Beware, The Lord Sees").

Above and below the central image are inscription in Latin of Deuteronomy 32:28–29, containing the lines "For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them", above, and "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" below.

  1. ^ Silva Maroto, Pilar, ed. (2016). El Bosco. La exposición del V centenario. Madrid: Museo Nacional del Prado. ISBN 978-84-848-0316-4..
  2. ^ C. Garrido and R. Van Schoote (2001). Bosch At The Museo Del Prado: a technical Study. Aldeasa, Madrid. ISBN 978-8480032650
  3. ^ Ilsink, Matthijs; Koldeweij, Jos (2016). Hieronymus Bosch: Painter and Draughtsman – Catalogue raisonné. Yale University Press. p. 504. ISBN 978-0-300-22014-8.
  4. ^ Claudia Lyn Cahan and Catherine Riley (1980). Bosch~Bruegel and the Northern Renaissance. Avenal Books. ISBN 0-517-30373-6.