La Tentation de Saint Antoine by FLAUBERT, Gustave - 1926

Paris: Societe D' Editions et de Librairie Henri Reynaud, 1926. Leather Bound. Fine. SZYK, Arthur. La Tentation de Saint Antoine [The Temptation of St. Anthony]. FLAUBERT, Gustave. Paris: Societe D' Editions et de Librairie Henri Reynaud, (1926). Text in French. 20 full color pochoir illustrations printed on Imperial Japon paper with an additional suite of the same 20 images bound in throughout on Arches paper. Contemporary burgundy morocco binding with raised bands and marbled slipcase. a.e.g. A Fine copy.LIMITED EDITION. One of 30 deluxe numbered copies (out of a total edition of 343) printed on Imperial Japon paper.These exquisite, dreamy images from Szyk's Paris period represent the artist's mastery of symbolism and mysticism. It is not unreasonable to suspect that Szyk might have been influenced by Hieronymus Bosch's nightmarish 16th diptych of the same title. Szyk's unique style in the Temptation is wholly uncharacteristic of Szyk's familiar medieval -influenced work and is found in only one other work, Le Puits de Jacob (also from the Paris period).The pochoir printing technique used here reproduces illustrations that are nearly three-dimensional in quality.St. Anthony the Great (c. 251 - 356 CE) is the fabled “first Christian monk” and the father of the ascetic doctrine.