H. Antonius bezocht door demonen 1598

This engraving by Antonio Tempesta, likely from the late 16th or early 17th century, depicts "H. Antonius bezocht door demonen", and immediately the composition draws us into a world of the tormented saint. The stark contrast of light and shadow, achieved through Tempesta’s meticulous use of line, structures the scene. Note how the dense, dark foliage on the left sharply contrasts with the airy, light-filled landscape on the right, dividing the composition into distinct zones of psychological tension. This division echoes the saint's internal struggle with temptation. The figures themselves, rendered with exaggerated expressions, serve as signs of inner turmoil and the destabilization of spiritual resolve. Tempesta employs a semiotic system of visual cues. The landscape is more than a backdrop; it functions as a symbolic space where the saint's spiritual battle unfolds, prompting us to consider how the artwork challenges fixed notions of piety and virtue.