De verzoeking van de H. Antonius before 1840

"De verzoeking van de H. Antonius" (The Temptation of Saint Anthony) is a lithograph by Dirk Jurriaan Sluyter, created before 1840 and currently housed at the Rijksmuseum. The artwork depicts Saint Anthony, a Christian monk known for his asceticism, resisting a horde of grotesque demons and creatures tempting him with earthly desires. This scene is a common theme in art history, particularly in the Northern Renaissance, and reflects the struggle between faith and temptation. Sluyter's detailed depiction of the scene with its stark contrasts of light and dark creates a sense of both wonder and unease, illustrating the powerful nature of the temptations Saint Anthony faces.