The Temptation of St Anthony, attributed to Hieronymus Bosch or one of his followers, belongs to the artist's last years, placed roughly between 1500 and 1525. The work, transferred from the monastery of El Escorial, differs from the better-known Lisbon triptych in its calmer, less agitated scene. The painting depicts St Anthony Abbot, the first hermit, absorbed in meditation beside his little pig, unperturbed by the temptations and demons surrounding him.
Among the symbolic elements are knives, ladders, devil's carts and small cricket-demons, but depicted in a more static way than in Bosch's other works. The saint is wrapped in his habit with the Tau cross, under a makeshift shelter, while before him flows a stream peopled by demonic figures. The background is a terraced landscape in green and yellowish tones, with tips of towers on the horizon and blue skies, giving the work a contemplative, harmonious atmosphere.
The artwork comes with a certificate of authenticity, also on Amalfi paper, signed by the craftsman who made the print.
