The Temptation Of Saint Anthony by Salvador Dali | Most-Famous-Paintings.com

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"The Temptation Of Saint Anthony"

Salvador Dali - Oil


famous painting The Temptation Of Saint Anthony of Salvador Dali
Film Director Albert Lewin held a competition amongst painters to paint “Temptation of St. Anthony”. This painting was to be used in his 1947 film “The Private Affairs of Bel Ami”. Salvador Dali took part in this competition. Sadly, his painting was triumphed over by Max Ernst version of this biblical tale. In Dali’s interpretation, we see St. Anthony, kneeling on the lower left-hand corner, raising a cross in the air towards a caravan of elephants that seem to approach him on their swindling, tall limbs. Dali makes articulate usage of iconography here as these elephants are carrying objects that ultimately symbolize the temptation being referred to in the title. There’s a horse leading this troop, symbolizing valour and power. There are erotic statues that suggest the temptation for lust. Amongst the clouds one can spot Escorial, who projects a desired sense of order. It must also be noticed that the elements and carriers of temptation occupy the bulk of the frame, as Anthony is cornered, with an opposing cross held tightly against the sky. Dali also pays his tribute to the “Elephant and Obelisk”, a pre-existing Roman Obelisk. Dali very intuitively uses the methods of classicism here to take some realistic depictions and expand their meaning with his interpretations of the divine.
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Reproductions or prints are not available for this artwork We use here Copyright term based on authors' deaths according to Copyright Law, (70 years).  Artworks protected by copyright are supposed to be used only for contemplation. Images of that type of artworks are prohibited for copying, printing, or any kind of reproducing and communicating to public since these activities may be considered copyright infringement. More…