Bosch was a prolific painter who straddled the period from the late Middle Ages to the Protestant Reformation. Drawing from the religious beliefs, language and folklore of the day, his work depicts a pessimistic view of human folly and sin. His imaginative, complex compositions are painted in a loose, rapid style.

Much of Bosch’s work is of a religious nature, depicting Old Testament scenes, the life of Christ, and stories of saints. His secular compositions generally represent the vices of promiscuity, gluttony, drunkenness and laziness , as depicted in The Temptation of St. Anthony. Bosch’s work greatly influenced Pieter Brueghel the Elder and is considered to have inspired 20^th century surrealism.