How Bosch Experienced His Own Kind Of Hell

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The Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch is well regarded as a “psychedelic visionary” of his time, having single-handedly changed the imagery of demons and hell in the west. His depictions of demons are a mishmash of animal and human imagery and objects. While it’s still unknown exactly how he conjured these images, a few experts propose that ergot poisoning could be to blame, as ergot was rampant during the Middle Ages. Ergotamine, which causes ergot poisoning, is similar to LSD in composition, leading to “delusions, twitching, and violent jerking”. Read full article here

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