Hermitary - Gallery - Art

About the images on this page

Anthony the Great (251-356) is considered by historians to be the founder of eremitism in ancient Christianity. But artists persuaded by St. Jerome's brilliant little hagiographical biography of St.Paul of Thebes cleary preferred Paul as the subject of their paintings.
The biograpy of Anthony by Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373) is equally hagiographical but an uninspiring catalog of dramatic demonic events: interventions, seductions, and fearful apparitions that Anthony regularly rebuffs.
In St. Jerome's story, the harried Antony is clearly subordinate tothe worldky-wise and ascetic Paul. Indeed, asceticism, which would become the hallmark of eremitism in the West. Asceticism is not largely sassociated with Anthony.
Perhaps the most poignant paintings are those of both Paul and Antony together, of which this gallery consists. Even Luciani's portrait of a strong Anthony is titled "The Vision of ...", wherein Anthony is subordinate to Paul, even in death. Such presentations in St. Jerome are tantilizingly suggested by these works: Anthony quietly listening to Paul's words, the crow that fed Paul now bringing double rations to include visitor Anthony. In Garbieri, Anthony seems immobilized by the body of the dead Paul. The last work here, by Cabanel, is decidedly modern, yet returns our eye to the death of Paul, the helplessness of Anthony lackng a spade, and the faithful lions ready to dig the grave of Paul themselves -- a final aside by Jerome about the overrated Antony, for those who love hermits.