The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch High Resolution

Mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans. The standard for the name "mushroom" is t ...

s have been found in art traditions around the world, including in western and non-western works. Ranging throughout those cultures, works of art that depict mushrooms can be found in ancient and contemporary times. Often, symbolic associations can also be given to the mushrooms depicted in the works of art. For instance, in

Mayan Mayan most commonly refers to: * Maya peoples, various indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and northern Central America * Maya civilization, pre-Columbian culture of Mesoamerica and northern Central America * Mayan languages, language family spoken ...

culture, mushroom stones have been found that depict faces in a dreamlike or trance-like expression, which could signify the importance of mushrooms giving hallucinations or trances. Another example of mushrooms in Mayan culture deals with their

codices The codex (plural codices ) was the historical ancestor of the modern book. Instead of being composed of sheets of paper, it used sheets of vellum, papyrus, or other materials. The term ''codex'' is often used for ancient manuscript books, with ...

, some of which might have depicted hallucinogenic mushrooms. Other examples of mushroom usage in art from various cultures include the Pegtymel petroglyphs of Russia and Japanese

Netsuke A is a miniature sculpture, originating in 17th century Japan. Initially a simply-carved button fastener on the cords of an box, later developed into ornately sculpted objects of craftsmanship. History Traditionally, Japanese clothing – ...

figurines. Examples of mushrooms being depicted in contemporary art are also prevalent. For example, a contemporary Japanese piece depicts baskets of

matsutake , ''Tricholoma matsutake'', is a species of choice edible mycorrhizal mushroom that grows in East Asia, Europe, and North America. It is prized in Japanese cuisine for its distinct spicy-aromatic odor. Etymology The common name and specifi ...

mushrooms laid atop bank notes, signifying the association of mushrooms and prosperity. Other examples of contemporary art depicting fungi include Anselm Kiefer's Über Deutschland and Sonja Bäumel's Objects not static and silent but alive and talking. These contemporary works often outline themes greatly undercurrent in modern times, themes such as

sustainable living Sustainable living describes a lifestyle that attempts to reduce the use of Earth's natural resources by an individual or society. It is referred to as zero wastage living" or "net zero living". Its practitioners often attempt to reduce their e ...

, new materials, and ethical considerations associated with the science of fungi and

biotechnologies Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...

. In fact, working with fungi allows contemporary artists to create art that is interactive and performative. Mushroom symbolism has also appeared in

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

paintings. The

panel painting A panel painting is a painting made on a flat panel of wood, either a single piece or a number of pieces joined together. Until canvas became the more popular support medium in the 16th century, panel painting was the normal method, when not paint ...

Hieronymus Bosch Hieronymus Bosch (, ; born Jheronimus van Aken ; – 9 August 1516) was a Dutch/Netherlandish painter from Brabant. He is one of the most notable representatives of the Early Netherlandish painting school. His work, generally oil on oa ...

The Haywain Triptych The ''Haywain Triptych'' is a panel painting by Hieronymus Bosch, now in the Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain. A date of around 1516 has been established by means of dendrochronological research. The central panel, signed "Jheronimus Bosch", measu ...

, is considered the first depiction of mushroom in modern art. Another triptych by Hieronymus Bosch, ''

The Garden of Earthly Delights ''The Garden of Earthly Delights'' is the modern title given to a triptych oil painting on oak panel painted by the Early Netherlandish master Hieronymus Bosch, between 1490 and 1510, when Bosch was between 40 and 60 years old. It has bee ...

'', depicts scenes very similar to those experienced under the effects of psychoactive mushrooms. In fact, when considering the mushroom of ''Amanita muscaria'', artistic representations throughout the ages show the association it has with psychotropic properties, being represented as being used for social, religious, and therapeutic purposes.

Registry of Mushrooms in Works of Art

The Registry of Mushrooms in Works of Art is maintained by the

North American Mycological Association The North American Mycological Association (NAMA), is a non-profit organization of amateurs and professionals who are interested in fungi, including mushrooms, morels, truffles, molds, and related organisms. NAMA aims "to promote, pursue, and advan ...

and its stated goal is, "to contribute to the understanding of the relationship between mushrooms and people as reflected in works of art from different historical periods, and to provide enjoyment to anyone interested in the subject." Started by Elio Schaechter, author of ''In the Company of Mushrooms'', the project is ongoing.{{cite web , url=https://namyco.org/contributors.php , title=Registry of Mushrooms in Works of Art: Contributors , author= , website=North American Mycological Association , access-date=2022-04-08 , quote=

References

Biology and culture Fungi and humans

Registry of Mushrooms in Works of Art

External links: Registry of Mushrooms in Works of Art

References