The Temptation of Saint Anthony

Lucas van Leyden

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts two figures in an outdoor setting. On the left, an elderly bearded man with a bald head is seated on a rock, wearing a long robe with a hood. His right hand is slightly raised, and his left rests on an open book placed on his lap. On the right, a woman stands upright, facing the man. She has delicate facial features and wears a headdress with projecting elements. Her attire consists of a long-sleeved, full-length gown with a cinched waist, accented by a long, draping sash tied to one side. She holds a chalice-like object in her left hand. In the background, there are trees, rocky outcrops, and a distant castle on a hill, surrounded by a few architectural structures amidst a lush landscape. A tree in the center of the image separates the two figures.