The History Of Triptych Art
The history of triptych art goes back further than detailed records. There are examples of
triptych art and sculpture dating back as far as 600AD from temples and churches although exact details are hard to come by. In more recent history the majority of art was created for, and by, the church as a form of worship and for entertaining or inspiring the public.
One of the earliest documented examples of triptych art is attributed to Dutch painter Hans Memling – The Last Judgement was painted some time between 1467 and 1471. It is now in the National Museum in Gdańsk in Poland and was commissioned by Tommaso Portinari, an agent of the powerful Medici family based in modern-day Belgium. The painting has a chequered past - it was captured by pirates from Poland. It was placed in the Basilica of the Assumption in Gdansk – at the time one of the largest churches in the world - and was moved to its present location in the 20th century.
The central panel shows Jesus sitting in Judgment on the world, while St Michael the Archangel is weighing souls and driving the Damned towards Hell. On the left hand panel, the Saved are being guided into Heaven by St Peter and Angels. On the right-hand panel, the Damned are being dragged to Hell. It is a truly stunning piece with a fantastic level of detail, the figures of Jesus and his disciples take centre stage above the intimidating figure of the devil.
Hieronymus Bosch, another artist of Dutch descent created the triptych piece ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ some time between 1490 and 1510, when Bosch was about 40 or 50 years old. It is his best-known and most ambitious work, the masterpiece reveals the artist at the height of his powers; in no other painting does he achieve such complexity of meaning or such vivid imagery.
The first section of the triptych piece known as the Garden of Earthly Delights, seems to depict the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, before the eating from the tree of knowledge, since neither Adam nor Eve are hiding from what seems to represent God.
The centre piece of the Bosch
triptych canvas depicts many activities among women and men. In the middle ages it was popular belief that debauchery was the mother of all sins and that it was from it that all other sins would then follow. It was also believed that the source of this temptation and sin came from women. Following the example of Eve who influenced Adam, it was believed that women could not help themselves; that it was an inherent trait in all women.
The final part of the triptych, is the representation of that feared place that we all know as hell. It is a scene that represents the results of a life of immorality or sin where the artist depicts different punishments for the different sins. Curiously the face that looks out from the center of the painting, under the dish that holds the bagpipes, is a portrait of Bosch himself.
Canvas Art Print