The Temptation of St Anthony
Hieronymus Bosch·1520
Historical Context
The Temptation of Saint Anthony at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, from Bosch's circle around 1520, continues the artist's signature subject of saintly torment by demonic forces. Anthony's story provided Bosch with his greatest vehicle for depicting the fantastic and terrifying. The 1520s were a decade of transition, marked by the deaths of Raphael and Leonardo, the shock of the Reformation, and the beginnings of Mannerist experimentation.
Technical Analysis
The fantastical creatures combine animal, human, and mechanical elements in Bosch's characteristic manner. The precise, miniature-like technique renders each bizarre detail with startling clarity.
