St. Anthony with the Boar n.d.

Antonio Tempesta created this pen and brown ink wash drawing of “St. Anthony with the Boar” in Italy sometime between 1570 and 1630. Anthony was an Egyptian hermit, whose most famous feat was his mastery over the temptations of the flesh. Here, Anthony sits in his cave with a boar at his feet, a rosary in his hand, and religious iconography on the table. This image represents the virtues of Christian devotion triumphing over earthly desires. We can consider this work in its specific historical context. The Catholic Church was under pressure from the rise of Protestantism and called for a renewed commitment to its traditions and values. Artists played a role in this movement, producing images that promoted Catholic teachings. The historian, in turn, can access publications and documents from the period to understand the precise historical context and the ways in which it shaped the production and interpretation of this work. We can examine the social and institutional forces that influenced the image and understand how it engaged with the pressing concerns of its time.