Hieronymus van Aken, dit Jérôme Bosch (v. 1453- v. 1516)

Born Jheronimus van Aken around 1450, Jerome Bosch changed his name in order to distinguish himself from his painter forefathers, but also in reference to his home town, 's-Hertogenbosch. Jerome Bosch is known as the painter of strange creatures and infernal visions, he excelled in the representation of the hells. His unusual compositions are full of zany scenes: characters singing in eggshells, man-trees and anthropomorphic animals. No wonder that Bosch's work inspired the future Surrealists.