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Death and the miser by Hieronymus Bosch 1490
This picture of Hieronymus Bosch goes back to 1490. It represents a man on his
death-bed. An angel tries to draw the dying man's attention towards the crucifix,
which faces the window, illuminated by a divine light. However, the man is more
attracted by the purse that is given to him by a devil. Even at the very moment
of his death, he remains primarily attached to his material possessions... Death
has already come into the room, but the dying man does not realize yet that his
redemption or damnation depends on the way he will live his death. Some hellish
creatures try to tempt the miser, staying in his coffer, surrounding his
clothing and weapons, entreating him not to leave his material possessions,
since a man ready to sacrifice them is saved. Death is represented in a
traditional way. It carries an arrow, which symbolizes his taking of the miser's
life. The old man standing at the foot of the bed is probably a Doppelganger of
the dying man, which continues to fill his coffer with money. This picture has
been inspired by a 15th century book of prayer entitled: Ars Moriendi (the art
of dying), an handbook of the proper way of dying. It included eleven scenes:
the first five were temptations from the devil, which was inviting the dying man
to sin through impiety, despair, impatience, vanity and avarice. The five
following ones described states of mind inspired by an angel: faith, hope,
patience, humility, and generosity. In the last scene, the angel took the soul
of the dead to Heaven, whereas in Hell the devils let hear howls of rage. In
Bosch's work, on the other hand, the outcome of the fight between devil and
angel remains uncertain.
La Mort dans l'Art
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