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Hidden meanings in painting by Jheronimus Bosch

Published September 10, 2016 Updated November 24, 2023

Medieval View of Gambling in the ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Jheronimus Bosch

1500 NetherlandsHistoryMedievalGambling

Hidden meanings in the ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Jheronimus Bosch, a story about moral and sin in a particular time produced by Pieter van Huystee Film, NTR. A fully interactive tour of the painting with a commentary can be viewed here

detail from the ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Jheronimus Bosch detail from the ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Jheronimus Bosch detail from the ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Jheronimus Bosch

Above: details from the ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Jheronimus Bosch in which playing cards, dice and backgammon can be seen. The suffering going on in this panel is not just on the physical level, it’s also psychological: the souls are being driven mad by fear, anxiety, chaos and distress. Experience the full virtual tour here

See also: Garden of Earthly Delights

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By Simon Wintle

Spain • Member since February 01, 1996

I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.

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