The Temptation of Christ

Discussion

FROM THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART’S CATALOG

Following his baptism, Christ fasted in the wilderness for 40 days, after which he was tempted three times by the devil. In this scene, the devil points to some stones. “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread,” the devil taunts. Satan is depicted in a loathsome manner with horns, a scaly body, and wings and claws for hands and feet. Because the desert was the traditional home of demons, temptation in one form or another lay in wait for those who ventured there, as seen here and in the depictions of Saint Anthony of Egypt nearby.

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