Triptych of the Temptation of Saint Anthony by Hieronymus Bosch (Interpretation and Analysis)

Triptych of the Temptation of Saint Anthony
Source: Wikimedia Commons

I don’t know how I’ve managed to write this blog for four months without mentioning the work of one of the strangest painters of all time, Hieronymus Bosch. Bosch was active during the period of the Northern Renaissance, although, in my opinion his work owes a lot to the Medieval period. Although I wouldn’t say Bosch is one of my favorite painters, I do find his work to be endlessly interesting and entertaining.

This is mostly because it’s just so strange! Bosch’s work is highly imaginative, and his style is instantly recognizable (although that can sometimes lead you astray, as many artists tried to replicate his style). In case you’re wondering what I mean by “highly imaginative,” I want to draw your attention to the man and woman riding on the back of a fish that is flying through the air at the top of the right panel (and, I should note that I’m using this example because some of the things in this triptych are too weird to describe in words).

Triptych of the Temptation of Saint Anthony (Detail)

It is my personal belief that Bosch’s distinctive style was inspired by the margin art of illuminated manuscripts of the Medieval period. These manuscripts often contained ornate (and tiny) illustrations that can only be described as bizarre (you can take a look at this article if you’re interested in learning more about this). Bosch’s work seems to be in the same spirit. Although his paintings are relatively large, they are filled with tiny figures engaged in inexplicable acts. You can only really understand what’s happening within the painting when you start to look at the details. When you encounter a Bosch painting, I highly recommend finding a high resolution image of the painting online and just zooming in. Enjoy all the little nuggets of weirdness that you find. 

Triptych of the Temptation of Saint Anthony (Detail)

Although, in fairness, the subject matter justifies the stranger aspects of this painting. As the title suggests, the Triptych of the Temptation of Saint Anthony depicts an incident from the life of Saint Anthony the Great, a Christian hermit who lived in the wilderness in Egypt. He was best known by European Christians for the many temptations he endured. As the story goes, during his journey into the desert, the devil confronted the saint with many temptations (including, among other things, boredom, laziness, and naked women) in an attempt to break his faith. Naturally, Saint Anthony is eventually able to overcome them. Bosch’s triptych depicts the saint battling these temptations through the power of prayer. He appears in each panel, sometimes in multiple places. The central and right panels show the saint in prayerful contemplation, seemingly oblivious to the chaos around him. In the left panel, he can be seen being carried into the sky by demons as he prays for deliverance. 

Triptych of the Temptation of Saint Anthony (Detail)

The fantastical nature of the saint’s torments made the temptation of Saint Anthony a popular subject for artists throughout Western history. The theme was an excuse to allow their imaginations to run wild, and it is undeniable that Bosch took full advantage of this. His triptych exaggerates the temptations to bizarre and even lurid lengths. In the midst of all of this strangeness, the saint himself almost seems like an afterthought, a simple accessory to a monstrously entertaining hellscape.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.