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The Temptation of St. Anthony
About the Artwork
Boilly’s scene represents the Temptations of Saint Anthony, a biblical subject. While embarking on his desert pilgrimage through Egypt, Anthony experienced a series of supernatural trials. Here, Boilly illustrated a nude nymph attempting to seduce him. Anthony’s horrified reaction to the woman’s embrace and the prominent crucifix on the right create a humorous juxtaposition between piety and lustful desire.
Inscriptions
verso: lower right corner, in graphite: 8 (inscribed in circle)
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Julien Léopold Boilly (French, 1796–1874)
- Date
- 19th century
- Medium
- Black chalk with white, pink, orange, ochre, and brown chalks on blue paper
- Dimensions
- Sheet: 28.6 x 32.7 cm (11 1/4 x 12 7/8 in.)
- Type
- Drawing
- Classification
- Drawing
- Department
- Drawings
- Credit line
- Bequest of Muriel Butkin
- Accession no.
- 2018.42
Provenance
The Cleveland Museum of Art’s open-access data does not include an ownership history for this work. See the museum’s page for this work.
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00011696
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