The temptation of Eve by the serpent 1490

Hieronymus Bosch likely made this pen drawing of ‘The Temptation of Eve by the Serpent’ in the Netherlands in the late 15th or early 16th century. The sketch depicts the well-known biblical scene with a remarkable twist. The figure of the serpent has been replaced with a man-like figure. The replacement of the serpent raises fascinating questions about the politics of imagery in Bosch’s time. Was Bosch, who worked under the patronage of the Church, subtly critiquing the institutions of religious authority by associating the tempter with a human figure? It is worth asking if it’s a comment on the corruptibility of humankind as well, since it replaces the more ‘monstrous’ image of the snake with a ‘common’ human. To fully understand Bosch's intent, we must delve into the social and intellectual history of his era, consulting theological texts, historical records, and art criticism of the period.