Around 1450, Jheronimus van Aken is born in 's-Hertogenbosch, into a family of painters.
The young Jheronimus learns the painter's trade in the workshop of his father and family.
Bosch marries a wealthy woman from a patrician family, strengthening his social and financial position.
Bosch becomes a member of a prestigious religious brotherhood, expanding his reputation and network.
Bosch completes his most famous and most enigmatic triptych, full of fantastical creatures and surreal scenes.
Bosch paints another major work in which he combines demons, hybrid creatures and nightmarish visions with religious themes.
His fame reaches the highest circles of Europe; Philip the Handsome and later other noble collectors show interest in his work.
Bosch dies in his hometown of 's-Hertogenbosch and is buried in Saint John's Cathedral.
After his death, Bosch's compositions were frequently copied and imitated, among others by Pieter Bruegel the Elder and countless anonymous followers.
In the twentieth century, Bosch is rediscovered as a forerunner of surrealism and becomes the subject of intensive scholarly research.
Bosch's unique fantasy world remained a source of inspiration for decades, and his work became so popular that a thriving market emerged for copies and pastiches, sometimes even forged with his signature to increase their value. King Philip II of Spain was a great admirer and collected several original works, including The Garden of Earthly Delights, which thus entered the Spanish royal collection. This dissemination ensured that Bosch's visions became known far beyond the Netherlands.