The Temptation of Saint Anthony

The drama «The Temptation of Saint Anthony» became the last major work of Gustave Flaubert. It is the most mysterious, least studied, and one of the most read works of the writer. In it, Flaubert exposes his soul while simultaneously raising important philosophical and theological issues. This edition includes the text of his drama translated by Boris Zaytsev and illustrated by the works of talented French artist Georges Rochegrosse. At the end of the book, there are several dozen variations of illustrations created by him for this work of Flaubert.

Flaubert became passionate about literature early, still in his school years. The father of the future writer, head of the surgical department of the hospital in Rouen, was a man of complex character. He insisted that Gustave start studying law in Paris; however, the rote learning of Roman law caused the young man almost physical disgust. Writing became the sphere for young Flaubert where he could create, freely spreading the wings of his spirit. The inheritance Gustave received after his father's death allowed him to fully devote himself to literary creativity. In 1845, during a trip to Italy, Flaubert saw the painting by Breugel the Younger «The Temptation of Saint Anthony». This canvas made a tremendous impression on him. The phantasmagorical scene depicted by the artist became a vivid illustration for Flaubert of the life of the spirit, surrounded by the dangerous temptations of life and the dark sides of existence. The image of the hermit has always been close to the writer; in a sense, Flaubert felt himself to be such an Anthony. Therefore, he decided to unfold this theme in one of his works. As a result, after numerous revisions, one of his most mysterious and least studied dramas was born, exposing the internal contradictory world of the artist while simultaneously raising important philosophical and theological questions of his time. «The Temptation of Saint Anthony» was first published in 1874. This work became the last major work of the writer, who passed away in May 1880 from a stroke.

The text of Flaubert's most intriguing work is illustrated in this edition with beautiful drawings by Georges-Antoine Rochegrosse, who became one of the most original and distinctive French artists active at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1874, Rochegrosse lost his father when he was only fifteen. A year later, Georges's mother remarried. Rochegrosse's stepfather was the poet Théodor de Banville, in whose house Verlaine, Rimbaud, Hugo, and Flaubert often appeared. The inner world of these people largely shaped the interests of the future artist. Rochegrosse became fascinated with antiquity. His successes at the Paris School of Fine Arts allowed the young artist to vividly and manifestly convey his notions of the luxury of Ancient Rome. It's no coincidence that his first large-scale painting was titled «Emperor Vitellius in the Streets of Rome». For his achievements in painting, Rochegrosse was awarded the title of Knight of the Legion of Honor at the age of 33. His youthful fascination with symbolism helped the artist when he took on the illustration of «The Temptation of Saint Anthony» because the drawings for this work were simply impossible to execute in a strictly realistic manner.