MATTHIEU VAN HELMONT (attr. a) Lot n° 18

(Antwerp, 1623 - Brussels, c. 1679) The Temptations of Saint Anthony Oil on canvas, cm 64.5X82 Since the late 15th century, paintings depicting the 'Temptations of St. Anthony' have been very popular among artists. The scene depicted here depicts the saint kneeling in front of the crucifix as he shuns any devilish temptation or deception. Unlike Teniers, who humanizes his witches and apparitions, Van Helmont's hellish monsters and bizarre demonic creatures find inspiration in the most archaic images. Moreover, whereas in Teniers the young woman offering wine to the anchorite was clothed, in Helmont's painting she is replaced by a naked Venus, embodying the temptation most difficult to evade.