Saint Anthony on Flying Frog with Rats by Hieronymus Bosch

Description

This sculpture adaptation of Saint Anthony on Flying Frog with Rats by Bosch is an astounding recreation of the ills of mankind as interpreted by Bosch. On the left panel of Bosch’s original triptych, The Temptation of Saint Anthony, the Saint is carried away after he has been battered by the devil. In the sacred story he is once again assaulted and tossed high into the air by the devils. Poor Anthony here lies praying on a flying frog, whilst he is being besieged by devils in wolves clothing. The frog appears on the painting as an androgynous symbol several times. This statue replica of Bosch’s two dimensional painting has extraordinary details from all sides. You will look at it in wonder as to how Bosch’s mind conceived of such an unusual little fellow.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK: THE TEMPATION OF SAINT ANTHONY Saint Anthony won a lot of praise in Hieronymus Bosch’s heyday. He resisted diabolical temptations, in sharp contrast with the ordinary mortals, as this triptych portrays in splendid colors. The closed panels show the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus.

ABOUT THE ART PERIOD: Froman artistic point of view, the world famous brilliant forerunner of surrealism was, in his day, unique and radically different. Hieronymus(Jeroen for schort) Bosch was born (ca. 1450-1516) during the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance in s-Hertogenbosch, in the Duchy of Brabant. Bosch places visionary images in a hostile world full of mysticism, with the conviction that the human being, dueto its own stupidity and sinfulness has become prey to the devil himself. He holds a mirror to the world with his cerebral irony and magical symbolism, sparing no one. He aims his mocking arrows equally well at the hypocrisy of the clergy as the extravagance of the nobility and the immorality of the people. Hieronymus Boschs style arises from the tradition of the book illuminations (manuscript illustrations from the Middle Ages). The caricature representation of evil tones down its terrifying implications, but also serves as a defiant warning with a theological basis.