The Temptations of Saint Anthony, David Teniers the Younger (Antwerp, 1610 – Brussels, 1690) Workshop of

David Teniers II, the Younger (Antwerp, 1610 – Brussels, 1690) Workshop of

The Temptations of Saint Anthony the Abbot

Oil on canvas (61 x 90 cm. – Framed 95 x 125 cm.)

The complete details of this work can be consulted directly from the following – LINK –

The suggestive theme of the 'Temptation of Saint Anthony', which spread starting from the fifteenth century especially in the Flemish context, sees the abbot tormented during his pilgrimage in the desert, forced to resist the temptations sent by the Devil to test his wedding ring.

In the painting, in particular, Saint Anthony is kneeling in prayer, represented surrounded by a multitude of grotesque demons and fantastic creatures, figures that symbolize vice and all the lowest instincts of man.

Also harassing the Saint are two attractive women temptresses, one of whom hands him a cup of wine to symbolize the malignant nature of vice, an invitation to intoxication and earthly pleasures and therefore to lust. She was sent to her by the devil as a trick to shake the faith of the Saint, who draws strength from the Holy Scriptures and is intent on reading, and from the skull and crucifix placed in the foreground, which symbolize salvation. The figure next to her holding the scales is probably the devil himself, recognizable by his horns.

The canvas matches perfectly with the compositional style of David Teniers II (1610 – 1690), one of the most important Flemish painters of the XNUMXth century, who particularly loved this subject and reproduced it in countless versions during his career, now scattered in public collections and in private collections around the world.

The hybrid bestiary used by Teniers to evoke the forces of evil comes directly from the repertoire of great Flemish artists, such as Hieronyimus Bosch or Jan Brueghel, who with their complex symbolism gave way to a proliferation of rather suggestive demons.

The canvas is an emblem of his fantastic streak which, thanks to the richness of the details, the representation of the characters and fantastic animals that animate the scenes, was able to create an atmosphere that is both fascinating and mysterious.

The artist took advantage of a rich and vibrant color palette and a beautiful play of light and shadow, with the Saint appearing irradiated by a light, symbolizing the illumination of faith.

Among the most famous works created by the painter on this theme we can mention those preserved
in the collections of the Prado Museum in Madrid (https://www.museodelprado.es/coleccion/obra-de-arte/wd/3f43ea58-7747-4915-8c47-354148846f04), of the Museum of Fine Arts of Lille in France (Inventory number P95.) or, just to mention yet another, that of the Dresden Museum (https://skd-online-collection.skd.museum/Details/Index/408758).
Among others, those most similar to ours include the painting from the Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:David_Teniers_the_Younger_-_Temptations_of_St_Anthony_in_a_G…) or that from the National Museum in Warsaw ( https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:David_Teniers_II_-_Temptation_of_St._Anthony_-_M.Ob.1437_MNW…)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is completed by a pleasant frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and guarantee.

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