Bosch: Devil on Night Chair Figurine

This hand-painted Bosch figurine, Devil on Night Chair, is from Hieronymus Bosch's painting The Garden of Earthly Delights.

It is presumed that somehow Bosch had knowledge of the Visio Tungdali, a twelfth century handwriting that describes a vision of a journey through hell. This was possibly the basis for this devil, crowned with a cauldron, symbolising the diabolical inferno fire. He is sat on a night chair, which offers him the possibility of excreting the gorged souls. His curious footwear in the shape of pitchers symbolises dipsomania.

This Bosch figurine is one of many available from the National Gallery.