Yesterday as I went for a quick book shopping trip to the city, I glimpsed a detail of the The Temptation of St. Anthony painting by Patinir and Matsys on the cover of a Dutch language book on the history of witchcraft in the Low Countries.

That Northern Renaissance gets my vote over Italian Renaissance any day was confirmed once more.

Temptation of Saint Anthony by Patinir and Metsys (detail)

Temptation of Saint Anthony by Patinir and Metsys (detail)

Temptation of Saint Anthony by Patinir and Metsys (detail)

Temptation of Saint Anthony by Patinir and Metsys (detail)

Please excuse the poor quality of the scans compared to the image I saw on the cover of that book. I would need a photographic cliché to reproduce the details well enough.

Thanks La boîte à images.

I acquired a copy of Marvellous Méliès. More on The Temptation of St. Anthony and the allure of Northern Renaissance later.