The temptations of St Antony 1528 - 1588

Editor: So, this is "The Temptations of St. Antony," a charcoal drawing from somewhere between 1528 and 1588, made by an anonymous artist, and currently at the SMK in Copenhagen. It's such a dynamic scene... I’m immediately struck by the almost brutal physicality of it. It feels incredibly raw. What’s your take? Curator: Raw is a good word for it! Look at how the artist uses charcoal—smudging, heavy lines—it's all so visceral. It feels like a dream... or rather, a nightmare. What do you think is most unsettling about this particular vision of temptation? Editor: I think it’s how *personal* the attack feels. The figures are right on top of St. Anthony. You can practically smell their breath. There's very little psychological distance for the viewer, or St Anthony. Curator: Precisely. Consider this wasn't meant to be beautiful. It’s a confrontation. The artist wasn’t interested in elegant idealism, but something darker, internal… Think about the historical context; the questioning of faith that pervaded society and its relationship with art. Does it make you consider faith in a different way? Editor: Definitely. I tend to think of religious art as being uplifting. This makes me think more about doubt, the struggle to believe... the real inner turmoil of faith. Curator: And the ambiguity! Are these literal demons or just manifestations of Antony’s own mind? Perhaps it's both. A terrifying dance with the self, laid bare on paper. This really captures a perspective about history being about humans more than specific acts, a very fresh reminder about art itself. Editor: It is pretty potent to view how artists from very different times thought similarly. I now appreciate the charcoal drawing much more knowing about the social climate and its influence on faith in general. Curator: Exactly. By considering the themes as the center point between eras. It reminds us we’re all a little bit St. Antony sometimes, wrestling with our own demons.