The devil tempted Saint Anthony in many different ways; as a black child, as a group of women who incited him to sin, as a colossal giant, etc. In this work we see several of the attributes of that saint that in the figure of Antonio García Villarán take on another meaning. The javelin that rests at his feet is, according to “The Golden Legend”, an animal that his son showed to the saint without eyes or legs and he restored them to him. In this way the javelin was always at his side. In the painting this animal represents the strength necessary to face all the work that Villarán undertakes, and the boar skull that rests next to it represents the finished projects. The temptations are shown in the form of three characters with rabbit masks. They are disturbing and symbolize the good and bad ideas that roam around his head. We can also find a head of Villarán half buried in the ground, since the demons beat Saint Anthony so much that they left him for dead, and when they were preparing to bury him he came back to life. The pomegranate tree leads us on the one hand to the idea of a forbidden fruit and on the other to that of a nutritious one. The black child demon steps on a book whose cover reads “The Book of Art”, the artist’s “Bible”.
Technique: Oil
Support: Canvas
Dimensions: 195 x 130 cm
Date of completion: December 2021
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Care
Avoid direct sunlight. Preferably place in a cool, dry place.
