Triptych of the Temptation of St. Anthony

This is a big painting on three wood boards.

It shows a story about a man named Anthony.

He faced many scary and strange things. You can see birds and fish in the sky.

Some demons even ride on a chicken.

There are also strange things on the ground. A man might see a pig face. A tiny owl sits on a head.

One part shows a city on fire. This is a sign of protection.

Many people made copies of this art. It is a very famous work.

This large painting is made on three wood panels. It is called a triptych. A triptych has a center part and two side wings.

A man named Hieronymus Bosch made it around 1501. It uses oil paint to tell a story about Saint Anthony. He faced many trials in his mind and spirit.

The center panel shows Anthony sitting in a ruined tower. He is praying. He looks away from many strange things. You might see a singer with a pig face. There is also a small owl above his head. In the sky, you can see flying fish and birds that look like ships.

Some demons even ride on a chicken.

The side wings show more parts of the story. The left wing shows Anthony falling from the sky. The right wing shows him thinking deeply. When the wings are closed, the painting looks very different. The outside is painted in grey tones. It shows scenes of Jesus and his followers. This painting is now in a museum in Lisbon. Many people have made copies of this art over the years.

The Temptation of St. Anthony is a famous oil painting on wood. It is a triptych, which means it has three panels. Two side wings are attached to a large center part by hinges.

This artwork tells the story of Saint Anthony the Great. He was a famous man from Egypt in the late 3rd century. The painting shows the many mental and spiritual trials he faced. People find it amazing because it uses many strange and fantastic images. It is kept today in the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in Lisbon.

To see the whole story, you look at each panel. The center panel is 131.5 by 119 cm. The two side wings are 131.5 by 53 cm each. In the center, Anthony sits in a ruined tower. He is praying and looking toward a small figure of Christ. Around him, many strange things happen at once. A singer has a pig face and an owl above his head. In the sky, you might see flying fish or birds shaped like ships.

This work was made by the painter Hieronymus Bosch. Scientists used wood testing to find it was made around 1501. Some people thought it was made between 1490 and 1500. The painting has a long history in different places. It may have been in the collection of Philip II of Spain in 1574. Later, a man named Damião de Góis may have bought it. By 1872, it was part of the Royal Palace of Lisbon. In 1911, it was given to its current museum.

The side panels show different parts of the legend. The left panel shows Anthony falling from the sky. He is helped by a monk and a man after he falls. The right panel shows Anthony thinking deeply. You can see a woman peeping from a hollow tree trunk. There is also a table with bread held up by demons. The outside of the wings is painted in grey tones called grisaille. These grey scenes show important moments from the life of Jesus.

This painting connects to many other stories and ideas. The stories come from books like the Life of St. Anthony. Some people think the strange images represent a sickness called ergotism. This sickness caused people to see things that were not there. The painting also uses symbols from alchemy, which was an old science. Because Bosch's style was so unique, many people made copies. You can find these copies in museums in Belgium, Germany, Brazil, and Canada.

The *Triptych of the Temptation of St. Anthony* is a complex oil painting on wood panels. It was created by the Early Netherlandish artist Hieronymus Bosch around the year 1501. This work is a triptych, which is an artwork divided into three sections. Two outer panels, known as shutters, are attached to a larger central section by hinges.

The painting serves as a symbolic visual narrative. It depicts the mental and spiritual torments of Saint Anthony the Great. Anthony was a prominent member of the Desert Fathers in Egypt during the late 3rd and early 4th centuries. The artwork uses fantastic and strange imagery to communicate deep religious themes.

To understand the painting's structure, one must look at its specific dimensions and mechanics. The central panel measures 131.5 by 119 cm. The two side wings are slightly narrower, measuring 131.5 by 53 cm each. When the wings are closed, the exterior displays scenes painted in grisaille. Grisaille is a technique using shades of grey to imitate sculpture. These exterior scenes depict the Arrest of Christ and Christ carrying the cross. This subdued style was often used for altarpieces during the Lenten season.

The left panel illustrates the legendary flight and fall of Saint Anthony. In the sky, a host of demons brings the saint down. Below this, a grotto is carved into a hill in the shape of a man on all fours. An impious procession moves toward the entrance, led by a deer and a demon in holy vestments. In the foreground, a monk and a layman support a tired Anthony. The layman is often identified as Bosch himself. Nearby, a demon bird wearing skates glides across an icy lake. The bird's beak holds a cartouche with the word "fat," which may refer to the simony scandal.

The central panel focuses on Anthony's ability to refuse temptation. He sits in contemplation inside a ruined tower. Inside this cell, a miniature Christ appears to point toward the Crucifix. This serves as a spiritual response to a profanatory mass being celebrated by demons nearby. The panel is filled with surreal creatures and symbols. A black-skinned priestess holds a vessel containing a toad, a symbol of witchcraft and luxury. A singer with a pig's face stands near an owl, which acts as an allegory for heresy. In the sky, one can see flying fish, winged boats, and birds shaped like ships.

The right panel depicts the Contemplation of St. Anthony. It features two figures riding fish through the sky. According to legend, the Devil granted them flight so they could attend Witches' Sabbaths. In the foreground, a naked woman peeks from a hollow tree trunk. A toad helps keep a tent open for her. Beside the saint, a dwarf wearing a red mantle and a whirligig symbolizes human fecklessness. The panel also shows a table with bread and a jar of wine. This table is supported by naked demons, one of whom has a foot caught in a jar.

Historians have traced a long and interesting journey for this painting. Dendrochronologic analysis, which is the study of tree rings, helped date the wood to approximately 1501. Some researchers believe the work was once part of the inventory of Philip II of Spain in 1574. Other theories suggest the Portuguese humanist Damião de Góis purchased it between 1523 and 1545. By 1872, the painting was documented in the Royal Palace of Lisbon. It was eventually donated to the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in 1911.

Beyond its religious story, the painting may connect to medical history. Some scholars interpret the violent imagery as a reference to ergotism. This condition, also called St. Anthony's fire, causes burning sensations and hallucinations. The monks of the Order of St. Anthony specialized in treating victims of this disease. The large fruit in the central panel might represent a mandrake apple. Mandrake root was used as an anesthetic during the time. However, the fruit could also cause hallucinations, which might explain the chaotic nature of the demons.

The influence of Bosch's style led to many versions of this subject. Several copies of the triptych exist in museums around the world. A workshop copy is located in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Another version is in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. A reduced copy of the two wings is held in the Prado Museum in Madrid. There is also a version of the central panel in São Paulo, Brazil. Finally, a work by a follower of Bosch is in the National Gallery of Canada. These many versions show how much people valued Bosch's unique vision.