Saint Anthony, the Abbot of the Desert

As today is the feast day of St. Anthony the Abbot, I thought it best to honor him with this image of the poor fellow bedeviled by temptation.

The painting, now at the Kimball Art Museum is by the ridiculously young Michelangelo, 12 or 13, frankly all terribly depressing ; for more details read this 2009 New York Times article. 

Michelangelo Buonarroti

(1475-1564)

The Torment of St. Anthony

Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas

Once again faithful Vasari provides clues to this wonder, to Vasari’s glee the young fellow made a “perfect pen-and-ink copy” of the Martin Schongauer original. Working from a copper engraver the ambitious boy had purchased on his own, he dazzled his contemporaries and secured “considerable fame”. Not content to sit on his laurels (something I would be all too willing to do), the young Buonarroti quickly began a colored copy, according to Vasari:

“…in order to copy some of the strange looking demons in the picture he went along to the market and bought some fishes with fantastic scales like theirs.”

Detail of “fantastic scales”

source, NYT, click for more details

Given the blessed abbots desire for solitude, I think he makes a wonderful patron for artists; I am deeply drawn to images of the saint happily ensconced in his charming hermitage, a decorative skull comfortably placed on his rustic worktable. Perfection.

This weekends paper had an article concerning solitude and creativity, it only confirmed my own beliefs; if you wish, check it out with this link.

Those familiar with my blog know my penchant for George Méliès, I wasn’t going to replay this St. Anthony clip, but since I saw Hugo this weekend I really could not resist. It is incredibly delightful and funny.

For those inclined to something less irreverent, here are two prayerful clips, less fun but…

and

I will now close, must dash off to the gym, then lock myself in my hermitage; I happen to have a skull- fuschia, with glitter.

Anthony would have approved.

Happy Feast Day Saint Anthony!

Take care,

Babylon Baroque

La Tentation de Saint Antoine, Georges Mélliès, 1898

The Temptation of Saint Anthony

Paolo Veronese

1552

Musée d’Orsay

Paris

( A personal favorite, from an artist I particularly love, such a simple image, yet captures the poor bugger’s torment.)

January 17th, in addition to being the day we honor Dr. King , is also the feast day of Saint Anthony the Abbot. This Egyptian ascetic of the early church is best known to art lovers as the subject of countless  variations upon the theme of Temptation of Saint Anthony . As the Epiphany provided artists with its Magi, gold and Orientalist glamour; so does  the humble Anthony, with his sackcloth, skull and crucifix as his only protection, the dear hermit pitches battle with worldly temptation.

Many artists(myself included) have attempted to capture with paint that familiar struggle to live a life of virtue and truth only to be confronted time and again by worldly desires and values. I’m not speaking of orthodox faith, I speak of the most mundane struggles, creating art vs. mindless internet searches, Tolstoy vs. True Blood.

The theme  of temptation is so rich, how does an artist resist depicting these wanton demons?

Few do,  Georges Mélliès was no exception. I really love this little film of 1898, he  captures the spirit of the early depictions of the dear saint and his merciless vixens.

Really, has there ever been a more delightful version of The Temptation of Saint Anthony ???

I particularly love how he kisses the skull over the lusty temptresses.

The following  two paintings are so very close to the Mélliès interpretation that I am tempted to believe they might be inspiration.

The Temptation of Saint Anthony

Cornelis Saftleven

1629

private collection

The Temptation of Saint Anthony

Lucas van Leyden

1530

Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts

Brussels

Tintoretto presented a fleshy sexy earthy version of the temptation,

The Temptation of Saint Anthony

Tintoretto

1577

San Trovaso

Venice

I was surprised to find a version by Cézanne, I don’t particularly love it, but it is of interest,

The Temptation of Saint Anthony

Paul Cézanne

1875

Musée d’Orsay

Paris

 

The final image, from an artist I am unfamiliar with, has taken full advantage of the monstrous delights offered by Lust, Greed and Avarice.

The Temptation of Saint anthony

Bernardino Parenzano

1494

Galleria Doria-Pamphili Rome

St. Anthony was known for his great desire to become holy, his attempts at holiness were to emulate his Savior. He is famous for saying “if you think me holy, become what I am , for we ought to imitate the good”.

From a secular artistic perspective, I plan, as an artist to emulate the above mentioned masters in their desire to capture universal struggles and truths. I look forward to one day producing a Temptation worth presenting, perhaps next feast day.

I submit this post a bit early, I must leave town for a family matter. I fear I am such a Luddite that I would n never be able to submit from my I-phone.

So with that, I send early wishes for a happy feast Day of the Blessed Saint Anthony of the Desert.

Respecctfully,

Babylon Baroque