St. Anthony Beaten by Devils

Sassetta's Saint Anthony Beaten by Devils, painted around 1423, depicts the celebrated temptation scene from the desert father's life that was a favorite subject of medieval and Renaissance artists. The theme of demonic assault on the hermit provided opportunities for imaginative depictions of fantastical creatures. Sassetta — Stefano di Giovanni — was the dominant painter in Siena during the first half of the fifteenth century, maintaining the city's Gothic tradition of refined spirituality and jewel-like color even as Florentine artists were developing the naturalistic revolution of the Early Renaissance.

The panel renders the demonic attackers as a swarm of fantastic creatures surrounding the prostrate saint, painted with the inventive detail and luminous color that distinguish Sassetta's narrative art.