Study for The Temptation of St. Anthony

Félicien Rops completed this provocative study in the late 19th century, preparing for his shocking interpretation of St. Anthony's temptation. The Belgian artist specialized in erotic and blasphemous imagery that challenged bourgeois morality. Rops's technical precision combined with transgressive subjects made his work both admired and condemned.

The study shows Rops developing ideas for his finished version, where a nude woman replaces Christ on the cross. His fascination with the intersection of religious symbolism and sexuality reflected broader Symbolist interests. Now at the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, this work reveals his artistic process.