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The Conjurer (The Juggler) by Hieronymus Bosch

The Conjurer (The Juggler)

Hieronymus Bosch · 1502

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“Hieronymus Bosch's "The Conjurer" is a fascinating glimpse into human nature, where a street performance becomes a stage for a deeper commentary on deception and the dangers of distraction.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

In this intriguing scene, a conjurer performs a cup-and-ball trick for a rapt audience, but the real magic (or mischief) is happening elsewhere. While the crowd is mesmerized by the performer's sleight of hand, a figure behind them is picking a wallet from the pocket of a man fixated on the conjurer's table. This painting, executed around 1502, uses the familiar spectacle of a street entertainer to explore themes of human gullibility and deception. The composition cleverly draws the viewer into the illusion, only to reveal the true nature of the trick played on the unsuspecting victim. The vibrant colors and detailed figures, typical of Early Netherlandish painting, bring this moralizing narrative to life, inviting us to consider what else might be hidden in plain sight.

DETAILS
Artist
Hieronymus Bosch
Date
1502
Medium
Oil on panel
ART MOVEMENTS
Northern Renaissance
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What to Notice

Five details hide in plain sight. Pick one and we’ll show you exactly where to look.

The Conjurer (The Juggler)

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01

The conjurer's gesture

On the right, the conjurer raises one hand and holds up a small ball between his fingers, as if showing it to the crowd. His gesture is the focus of the trick.

1 of 5 on the painting
02

The bent-over dupe

The figure in orange leans far over the table, mouth open, eyes fixed on the conjurer's hands. Bosch shows a person so absorbed in the trick that he looks foolish.

2 of 5 on the painting
03

Cups and tricks

On the tabletop sit two upturned cups, a cone and a few small balls. These are the props of the cup-and-ball game, set out where you can read them.

3 of 5 on the painting
04

Frog in the basket

Two small eyes peer out of the basket hanging at the conjurer's hip. An animal, possibly a frog or an owl, is tucked inside, a hint that this performer's tricks are not entirely honest.

4 of 5 on the painting
05

The dog in costume

A small dog in a collar and pointed hood sits by the table, almost lost in shadow. It is a performing animal, adding to the street-show feel.

5 of 5 on the painting
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THE ARTIST

Hieronymus Bosch

1450–1516 · Northern Low Countries

Hieronymus Bosch, a Dutch painter from the Northern Low Countries, filled his oak panels with fantastic illustrations of religious concepts, from the Garden of Eden to macabre depictions of hell.

Read Bosch’s full story
MORE FROM THIS ARTIST

Further Works by Bosch

1 / 2
The Garden of Paradise The Garden of Paradise 1495 · Art Institute of Chicago The Adoration of the Magi The Adoration of the Magi Noordbrabants Museum The Last Judgment The Last Judgment 1478 · Art Institute of Chicago Christ Child with a Walking Frame Christ Child with a Walking Frame 1480 · Kunsthistorisches Museum Crucifixion with a Donor Crucifixion with a Donor 1485 · Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium St. John on Patmos St. John on Patmos 1489 · Gemäldegalerie Berlin St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness 1489 · Lázaro Galdiano Museum Death of the Reprobate Death of the Reprobate 1490
EXPLORE THE MOVEMENT

More from Northern Renaissance

See the movement →
The Crucifixion; The Last Judgment The Crucifixion; The Last Judgment van Eyck · 1440 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Saint Jerome in His Study Saint Jerome in His Study Dürer · 1521 · National Museum of Ancient Art
KEEP EXPLORING

More works to explore

Beyond Bosch and Northern Renaissance: works from the same years.

Mona Lisa Same era · 1480s–1510s Mona Lisa Leonardo da Vinci · 1503 · Department of Paintings of the Louvre Jacopo Pesaro, Bishop of Paphos, being presented by Pope Alexander VI to Saint Peter Same era · 1480s–1510s Jacopo Pesaro, Bishop of Paphos, being presented by Pope Alexander VI to Saint Peter Titian · 1504 · Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp Drunkenness of Noah Same era · 1480s–1510s Drunkenness of Noah Michelangelo · 1509 · Sistine Chapel Sistine Madonna (Madonna di San Sisto) Same era · 1480s–1510s Sistine Madonna (Madonna di San Sisto) Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino) · 1512 Erasmus of Rotterdam Same era · 1480s–1510s Erasmus of Rotterdam Albrecht Dürer · 1501 · Icones Leidenses Plate with arms of the Tosinghi family Same era · 1480s–1510s Plate with arms of the Tosinghi family Artist Unknown - The Mercat Cross, Aberdeen · 1495 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints John the Baptist and Sebastian Same era · 1480s–1510s Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints John the Baptist and Sebastian Pietro Perugino · 1493 · Uffizi Gallery Annunciation of the Death of of the Virgin Same era · 1480s–1510s Annunciation of the Death of of the Virgin Master of the View of Saint Gudula · 1495 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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