The Netherlands is more than Amsterdam! The kingdom’s other treasures are charming little towns that are worth venturing into its lowlands. Bois-le-Duc, alias’ s-Hertogenbosch, is one of them. This pretty city is all the more attractive because it is the cradle of the great painter Jérôme Bosch, celebrated in 2016 on the occasion of the 500 th anniversary of his death. Among various events is an exceptional retrospective exhibition dedicated to this artist, appreciated by a large audience.

Bois-le-Duc, the city of Jérôme Bosch

Bois-le-Duc is a French translation of the Dutch city name, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, or colloquially Den Bosch. So be careful: on train schedules or local road signs, we don’t know “Bois-le-Duc”!

This name comes from the short period when the country was annexed by France under Napoleon I st. Today capital of the province of North Brabant, Bois-le-Duc was then the prefecture of the department of Bouches-du-Rhin.

This is where Jheronimus van Aken was born, around 1450. He will take the name we know him (Jheronimus or Jeroen or Hiëronymus Bosch) in reference to this city where he lived until his death in 1516. From the existence of this singular painter from a family of artists, little is known. On the other hand, his works say a lot about his environment (postures or clothing of the characters, decorations), his time (end of the Middle Ages) and his imagination.

Religious themes are de rigueur (Christ, the saints, good and evil), except that the artist inserts abundant “secondary” scenes, often small details, which we would qualify today surrealists.

Obeying symbolic codes that we only partially master, they appear to us to be phenomenally daring, in particular by the presence of fantastic beings (mixtures of humans, beasts or objects). Obviously formal in beauty, Bosch’s art is by turns mystical, carnal, funny, terrifying.

What to see in Bois-le-Duc?

The atmosphere of the old city center is both peaceful and lively. As everywhere in the Netherlands, we are struck by the massive presence of bikes, as well as that of rivers and canals or by the cleanliness of the streets.

Well preserved, the architectural heritage has retained local characteristics, among others these typically Dutch or Flemish narrow houses. The Grand-Place (Markt) is essential with the presence of the home of Jérôme Bosch.

As you walk, you will notice the abundance of restaurants, cafes and shops. Do not miss to taste this gourmet specialty that is the bossche boll, a large cabbage stuffed with whipped cream and topped with chocolate.

You will also spot “sculptures” of various dimensions reproducing details of the painter’s works. Their discovery is part of the “Bosch Experience” thematic route.

This includes a visit to the Saint-Jean cathedral, an imposing Gothic building (14 th -16 th centuries) in brick and stone which includes rare decorative elements: realistic and fantastic characters riding its flying buttresses. On the occasion of the Bosch year, a scaffolding has been installed (until October 30) so that you can rise to their level, a marvelous spectacle if ever there was one. It is also an opportunity to see the angel speaking to God via his mobile phone, a statue of Ton Mooy (2011).

Do not miss either: the electric boat ride which, on the Binnendieze, a set of canals, takes you around the city along old houses.

Jheronimus Bosch 500: an exceptional year

General mobilization notice! Any art lover who respects himself must go as quickly as possible to the exhibition “Jérôme Bosch – Visions of genius “(until May 8 at the Het Noordbrabants Museum), which brings together almost all of the known works of this extraordinary artist. There are 20 paintings and 19 leaves swarming with drawings from museums and private collections around the world.

Are to see the tables or triptychs “La Nef des fous”, “Le Vagabond”, “Death and the miser”, “The hay cart”, “Ecce homo”, “The Last Judgment”, “Visions of the ‘beyond’, or the panel of “The Temptation of Saint Anthony”, recently rediscovered. Added to this are works from the workshop of Bosch or of followers, which are also remarkable, such as “L’Escamoteur”.

The expo is the major event of the “Jheronimus Bosch 500 “event which offers other meetings in Bois-le-Duc. There are festivals such as ” The World of Bosch ” mixing street performances and medieval gastronomy (June 4 and 5), the ” Bosch Parade “, procession in boats of contemporary artistic creations (June 16, 18 and 19), the ” Theatre festival Boulevard ” (from August 4 to 14), the ” Cirque Jeroen Bosch ” by the 7 Doigts de la Main and Les Colporteurs (September and October) and ” Bosch Forever “, closing event with firing of the “beast by Bosch ”in music (December 6).

To see also, normally, a 3D sound and light show given in the evening on the Grand-Place. However, two of the buildings on which it was to be projected collapsed at the end of February and that under the gaze of the statue of Bosch Solutions are being prepared.

Finally, note that a Bosch Grand Tour (until January 2017) invites you to visit contemporary art exhibitions in the museums of Bois-le-Duc (jointly with those labeled “Bosch Open Expo”, from March 19 to June) and its surroundings: Breda , Eindhoven and Tilburg .

A good way to immerse yourself in landscapes typical of the Netherlands, a combination of agricultural land punctuated by wetlands and crossed by countless canals and large rivers or streams, as well as dikes. These are the only heights to rise above this flat country, apart from the construction of the cities and the quantity of mills preserved.

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