The Garden of Delirium (Le Jardin des Délires) draws its inspiration from Hieronymus Bosch’s famous Garden of Earthly Delights, reimagining its fantastical vision in a modern-day context. Set against a dark and chaotic landscape, Gérard Rancinan presents a world on the brink of collapse, where temptation and excess propel humanity toward self-destruction. The figures that populate this composition—part human, part allegorical—struggle with their deepest urges, ambitions, and fears.

Original dreamlike elements are transformed into contemporary symbols: barren planetary spheres, a ground tangled with industrial roots, and fragments of a civilization in ruins. In the distance, a menacing vortex swirls, hinting at the power of pride over human destiny. Some characters appear tormented, others thirsting for power, all embodying a humanity eager to rival the gods—yet unwittingly triggering its own downfall.

Through this piece, Rancinan questions mankind’s responsibility in the face of unchecked excess. As with Bosch’s original Garden of Earthly Delights, viewers are invited to explore each detail and decipher the symbolism: the sediment-laden terrain, the masks and glass domes that suggest technological escalation, or the outstretched arms, emblematic of human vanity. The Garden of Delirium ultimately provides a vivid parable of our world’s fragility, the constant temptation to play sorcerer’s apprentice, and the looming threat of a catastrophe that humanity itself has summoned.