English summary

The medieval painter Hieronymus Bosch took the world by storm with his detailed, fanciful, colourful images in which both Hell and the Devil played prominent roles. In the spring of 2016, in honour of the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death, the Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch – his city – will mount a unique exhibition. The film follows the research team of Dutch art historians as they prepare for the exhibition, traveling around the globe to unravel the mystery of the 25 paintings still in existence. For the first time, it becomes possible to delve down to the deepest layers of paint; this yields new information about the intentions and genius of the legendary devil’s artist. In addition, the team attempts to determine, once and for all, which paintings can actually be attributed to Bosch, and which to his pupils or disciples. However, not all museums are necessarily willing to grant the research team access to the precious works of art. Will the team succeed in its quest to uncover the artist’s secrets, and to bring all of his masterpieces to Den Bosch?