S:t Antonius

by Pablo Picasso

Artist Pablo Picasso (Spanien, 1881 - 1973)

Dateca 1908

MediumWatercolour on paper

DimensionsBildmått: 62 × 48 cm Ram: 88,5 × 73,5 cm

ClassificationPaintings

Credit LinePurchase 1930

Countries

Spain

Object NumberNMB 1246

The artwork is not on display

About the artworkPablo Picasso was an atheist, and there are very few religious motifs in his large ouevre. This watercolour of St Anthony is one of them. St Anthony (251-356 CE) was a hermit who is said to have lived in the Egyptian desert and resisted many temptations. Picasso was probably inspired by the erotic undercurrent of the legend. This scene is set on the outskirts of a city, and the artist has given St Anthony bulging muscles under his robe. The nude “temptress” is centrally placed, and a harlequin is also present, as in many other works by Picasso. Harlequin is a key character in Commedia dell’arte and often plays the part of a satirist. Perhaps he is ridiculing the ordeals of the saint.
Selected exhibition history Önskemuseet (1963-1964) Moderna Museet, Stockholm The Moderna Museet exhibition catalogues Önskemuseet : the museum of our wishes : notre musée tel qu´il devrait être : museum unserer wünsche : [utställning i Moderna Museet, Stockholm : 26 december 1963 - 16 februari 1964] / ordnad av Moderna Museets Vänner

Works by the artist