Analysis Of Torment Of Saint Anthony

Masterpieces are not famous because of the talented artists that produced them, but because they are produced with a unique alternative perspective. These paintings have some characteristics that sets them apart from the ordinary, because after a long period of time they continue to resonate with people, such as myself, in modern time.

One such example of an extraordinary unique piece of art is the painting, Torment of Saint Anthony painted by Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo. “combining an intense fidelity to realistic description of surfaces with both attention to veristic effects of light and an interest in figural movement and expression.” in the written history of St. Anthony there is never a time when the saint runs away from demons or a vision of hell, especially of ones “who either tempt him with lust, nostalgia for …show more content…
Savoldo decides to artistically display the contrast between good and evil. His painting demonstrates how St. Anthony never gave in to temptation but kept moving toward God, in this case, represented by a monastery, and away from Satan represented by scenes found in Hell. Anthony’s struggle with the demons is in effect a physical and moral struggle that does not take place solely in the mind or the imagination. “secular narrative genre” Torment of Saint Anthony displays a significant transition in style and could “represent one of the earliest examples of the application of the type to a sacred story. the painting is a perfect example of how art and faith can be successfully integrated. Savoldo’s subject is faith-based, but his canvas, literally and figuratively, is a unique artistic expression of both. In addition, the art piece transcends the story of St. Anthony and welcomes the viewer to look a little further beyond the surface level, and discover more about what unites his fortitude and strength to deter temptation. The torment of Saint Anthony, oil on panel painting, was