Gluttony and Lust Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516)

In the painting Gluttony and Lust, Hieronymus Bosch depicts a chaotic and unsettling scene that critiques human vices.

What do you see?

The central focus is a large, tipped barrel from which revelers emerge. A figure wearing a pointed hat and a jerkin sits atop the barrel, blowing a horn, possibly in celebration or alarm. Another figure, naked and contorted, is partially submerged in the barrel, reaching out with a ladle and a shallow bowl. Behind these figures, several onlookers gaze with a mixture of fascination and perhaps disapproval.

To the right, a tent-like structure with pink drapery offers a more private scene. Inside, a couple is engaged in what appears to be an intimate moment, with the man offering a drink to the woman. A table with drinks sits outside their tent.

Below the barrel, a disembodied pair of legs stretches out, positioned beneath a hat resting on a plate. Various discarded items, including clothing, hats, and shoes, litter the ground, suggesting a scene of abandon and excess. A dead bird hangs upside down from a branch on the left, a symbol often associated with sin or ill omen.

What are the subtexts?

The painting is rich with symbolism that speaks to the corrupting nature of sin, particularly gluttony and lust, as suggested by the title.

• Gluttony: The barrel itself, a vessel for holding drink, and the figures surrounding it, especially the one reaching with a ladle, directly allude to overindulgence in food and drink. The discarded food items that might be implied within the chaos also contribute to this theme.
• Lust: The couple within the tent engaged in intimate behavior, the suggestive contortions of the figure emerging from the barrel, and the general air of revelry all point to unrestrained sexual desire.
• Transience and Decay: The tipped barrel, the discarded clothing, the dead bird, and the general disarray suggest the fleeting nature of pleasure and the decay that follows indulgence. The scene can be interpreted as a warning that these vices lead to ruin and spiritual death.
• Human Folly: The figures often appear oblivious to the consequences of their actions, caught up in their immediate desires. This highlights human foolishness and the inability to resist temptation, leading them down a path of self-destruction.
• Satire: Boschs work is often seen as satirical commentary on the moral failings of his time. He uses grotesque and exaggerated imagery to expose these vices and their destructive outcomes, prompting reflection and perhaps repentance.