Mystery solved: Hieronymus Bosch, the hidden painting and a sausage link…

A painting kept in storage at an American museum for decades has been revealed to be a work by Dutch master Hieronymus Bosch. The newly-uncovered painting has been lying forgotten at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri since it was acquired in the 1930s. Entitled The Temptation Of Saint Anthony, it shows the saint gathering water in a jug as he leans on a staff in what was probably part of a larger panel, possibly a triptych. A team of international researchers who carried out a five-year research project using sophisticated infra-red technology determined that the painting was by the master himself and not by one of his many students.

Although the image was heavily retouched and overpainted during a 20th century restoration, Bosch’s hand is still clearly recognisable in the original brushwork.

Researchers’ statement

The surprise discovery comes as ’s-Hertogenbosch, the hometown of the artist whose nightmarish visions on canvas earned him the moniker of “the devil’s painter”, marks the 500th anniversary of his death. The canvas, which was likely painted between 1500 to 1510, “is a significant addition to the small body of existent work produced by Hieronymus Bosch”, the researchers said in a statement. A floating sausage which can be seen in the painting is also included in other artworks by Bosch. The painting was unveiled at the Noordbrabants Museum in Bosch’s hometown which has succeeded in bringing together over 20 of his 25 or so surviving works for an unprecedented retrospective which opens on 13 February.

Hieronymus Bosch