Master of the Osservanza
Saint Anthony Abbot Tempted by a Heap of Gold

Circa 1435
Tempera on panel, 18 7/16 x 13¼ in. (46.8 x 33.5 cm.)
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Robert Lehman Collection, 1975.1.27

St. Anthony is identified by his tau-shaped staff. In the Golden Legend he was walking along when he saw a heap of gold that the devil had put out so as to deceive him. He simply "took and cast it into the fire and anon it vanished away." The image shows him looking toward the heap of gold, which has unfortunately been scraped off the painting.

In the background a path leads from the saint's hermitage. The animal on the path appears to be a very scrawny dog, and the one in the foreground could be a badger. Presumably there is a spiritual significance to these animals and to the barren trees lining the path, but I have been unable to interpret them.

Read more about images of St. Anthony Abbot.

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City