Title of Artwork: “The Torment of Saint Anthony”
Artwork by Michelangelo
Year Created 1487
Summary of The Torment of Saint Anthony
Michelangelo created The Torment of Saint Anthony when he was just 12 or 13 years old. This painting is his earliest known work and was based on an engraving by Martin Schongauer. The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas has it in their permanent collection. This artwork depicts a popular mediaeval theme found in the Golden Legend and other sources. It shows Saint Anthony being attacked by demons while he was in the desert. Despite their temptations, he was able to resist them. This subject is commonly referred to as the Temptation of St. Anthony or the Trial. This piece of writing depicts a later event in which St. Anthony, who is usually depicted as being carried through the desert by angels, was unexpectedly attacked by devils while in mid-air.
All About The Torment of Saint Anthony
The artwork was once thought to be made by the group of artists who worked with Domenico Ghirlandaio. Michelangelo had learned from Ghirlandaio during his early years as an apprentice. According to the source, an American art dealer purchased it for $2 million at a Sotheby’s auction in July 2008. In September, they got permission to export the artwork. They took it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to clean it up and look at it more carefully. They found out that it had been painted over and had discoloured varnish. It was determined that the painting was created by Michelangelo based on its stylistic features, including the use of “emphatic cross hatching.” The Kimbell Art Museum purchased it for more than $6 million, but the exact amount was not disclosed.
According to Giorgio Vasari’s book, Lives of the Artists, Michelangelo painted St. Anthony based on a print by Schongauer. Ascanio Condivi also wrote that Michelangelo went to a market to draw fish scales, which were not in the original engraving. In addition to improving the artwork, Michelangelo also included a scenery beneath the characters and changed the saint’s facial expression.
This artwork is a panel painting created by Michelangelo, one of the most famous artists in history. There are only four surviving panel paintings made by him, and this one might be the only one from his teenage years. Interestingly, Michelangelo didn’t like oil painting later in his life, as recorded by Vasari. Schongauer’s style from the late Gothic period is very different from Michelangelo’s other works, even from when he was young. Schongauer’s prints were popular in Europe, including Italy, even though he died young. Michelangelo copied his work.
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