Isenheim Altarpiece: Temptation of St. Anthony and Paul and Anthony
7:00 AM |
| Matthias Grunewald, Isenheim Altarpiece: Temptation of St. Anthony and Paul and Anthony, 1512-15 |
I am in a quandary, faithful reader. Matthias Grunewald’s Temptation of St. Anthony poses a frightening question I cannot face alone. Which of the demon’s beating St. Anthony frightens you the most? For myself, I have narrowed it down to two formidable contenders. In one corner of the ring, we have Demonic Bird with a Stick (see bottom left hand corner of Temptation). At first, this odd caricature made me laugh solely because of how ridiculous the thing looks. It reminds me of a chemically-altered chick whose feet are way too long… but then I noticed his stick. If one gets out their protractor and traces the stick’s trajectory they will be horrified when they reach Demonic Bird’s targets. Guys in the room please do not flinch as I dub the stick the unholy castrator. St. Anthony, be warned this Bird plays dirty.
In the second corner of the ring, I introduce the Lovecraftian Armadillo (see bottom middle of Temptation). This brutal beast may be small, but my God it’s hideous. I call it Lovecraftian because it reminds me of something that would crawl out of H.P. Lovecraft’s nightmares in order to feed its insatiable hunger for children. The Armadillo’s beak also gives him the ability to tear off St. Anthony’s fingers in order to get at the prayer beads. The beast appears to be ripping the faith from the Saint’s hands.
You have your contenders: Demonic Bird with a Stick vs. Lovecraftian Armadillo. Who will win in this fight of the century? But let the spectators take a good look at the arena before they decide. Temptation is not a standalone piece. Paul and Anthony coexists alongside Temptation, which makes sense since the two paintings’ staging mimic each other. Notice the curve flowing down the demon’s arm and into Anthony’s head. This curve can also be found along the tree, down through Anthony and between the two saints in Paul and Anthony. This staging brings the focus onto Anthony (and Paul) in both paintings, though Grunewald uses his eerily similar staging in two very different ways. In Temptation, the curve and the downward force of the demons stomping on Anthony traps the saint. Paul and Anthony seems more free, while also being enclosed by the two rocks in the background. These rocks bending towards each other symbolize the two saints meeting, making them equivalent to two forces of nature. Also, the space behind the curve and immediately in front of the curve is hollow. Nothing traps the two saints in the painting. They possess this enclosed, sacred place where they can freely worship God.
But all this analytical, theological, and art historian jibber jabber talk bores me. What we all really want to know is who would in a fight, Demon Bird with a Stick or Lovecraftian Armadillo? After much thought on the subject, I cast my vote with the Lovecraftian Armadillo solely because the Demon Bird’s stick has no chance of breaking the Armadillo’s shell.
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| Detail: The Lovecraftian Armadillo |
You have your contenders: Demonic Bird with a Stick vs. Lovecraftian Armadillo. Who will win in this fight of the century? But let the spectators take a good look at the arena before they decide. Temptation is not a standalone piece. Paul and Anthony coexists alongside Temptation, which makes sense since the two paintings’ staging mimic each other. Notice the curve flowing down the demon’s arm and into Anthony’s head. This curve can also be found along the tree, down through Anthony and between the two saints in Paul and Anthony. This staging brings the focus onto Anthony (and Paul) in both paintings, though Grunewald uses his eerily similar staging in two very different ways. In Temptation, the curve and the downward force of the demons stomping on Anthony traps the saint. Paul and Anthony seems more free, while also being enclosed by the two rocks in the background. These rocks bending towards each other symbolize the two saints meeting, making them equivalent to two forces of nature. Also, the space behind the curve and immediately in front of the curve is hollow. Nothing traps the two saints in the painting. They possess this enclosed, sacred place where they can freely worship God.
But all this analytical, theological, and art historian jibber jabber talk bores me. What we all really want to know is who would in a fight, Demon Bird with a Stick or Lovecraftian Armadillo? After much thought on the subject, I cast my vote with the Lovecraftian Armadillo solely because the Demon Bird’s stick has no chance of breaking the Armadillo’s shell.
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