Life and Work of Saint Anthony the Abbot

Life and Work of Saint Anthony the Abbot

Anthony the Great (251–356) was an early Christian Egyptian monk, ascetic, and hermit. He lived as a hermit in complete solitude and without any possessions. Anthony is said to have lived entirely within the meaning of a verse from the Gospel of Matthew: “thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.” (Mt 19:21). His spiritual attitude attracted many admirers and like-minded people who followed his example and gave up their earthly possessions. Anthony’s followers founded communities from which the first antique monasteries originated. He is therefore regarded as the founder of Christian monasticism and is arguably the most famous Christian monk of antiquity.

Healing Relics

In the High Middle Ages, Anthony also became the patron saint of the Hospital Brothers of Saint Anthony, as his relics were said to possess healing powers against what was known as Saint Anthony’s Fire, or ergot poisoning. Starting from the French village of Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye, the order founded numerous monasteries with attached hospitals to care for thousands of sick people throughout Europe. Both the patron who commissioned the Florentine manuscript on the life and work of Anthony and the author of the text contained therein were members of such monastic establishments.

In Honor of the Order’s Patron Saint

The highly educated Jean Macellard served as Grand Sacristan of the mother abbey of the Order of Saint Anthony, the Abbey of Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye, from 1410 to 1417. In the early 1420s, he was entrusted by the prior of the monastery with the task of composing a new, comprehensive Vita of the order’s patron saint. The goal was to help the order emerge from an image crisis and to restore its reputation and the faith of the faithful, as well as to reunite the order internally and remind its members of their shared values. As was customary in the Middle Ages, Macellard compiled various older writings for this purpose, including the Vita Antonii by Athanasius the Great, sermons by Anthony the Great himself,** as well as a legend about the life of the Egyptian desert father translated from Arabic. He completed his work in the year 1426.

Illustrating a Saint’s Life

The text on the deeds and virtues of the saint was then edited and illuminated for the first time that same year. None other than the gifted painter Robin Fournier from nearby Avignon was responsible for this; he had already done some magnificent paintings for the monastery on several occasions. He created a picture cycle of 200 miniatures that would have a decisive influence on later depictions of Anthony. This first illuminated manuscript of Macellard’s Liber vita Sanctissimi Antonii Abbatis, created in 1426, is now housed in the National Library of Malta.

A Work of Art as a Symbol of Power

At the same time, Jean de Montchenu (1378–1459) was fighting to secure his position within the Order. After being denied the office of abbot of Saint-Antoine-l’Abbaye due to internal disputes, he became head of the monastery of Sant'Antonio di Ranverso in Piedmont. This office also entailed the powerful position of cellarer of the mother abbey, which allowed him to return there only a short time later. There, the magnificently illuminated first manuscript likely made a great impression on him. To solidify his position within the Order, he commissioned another, even more lavish and revised version of the Vita of Antonius the Great in 1431–1432 – again by Jean Macellard and Robin Fournier. The latter surpassed his own work from 1426 and created 200 even more impressive miniatures depicting the life and deeds of the revered patron saint of the order.

Monochrome Book Illumination

The moving life story of the father of monks, Anthony, is illustrated with wonderful demi-grisaille miniatures that follow a consistent aesthetic. Color accents in a powdery, cool green and a bold red highlight the images. They depict stylized, monochrome landscapes against which lively scenes unfold, inspired by both courtly and monastic daily life in the Middle Ages. One sees knights in armor engaging in sword fights on horseback and social events where nobles celebrate with music, food, and drink, as well as scenes of worship, prayer, and teaching.

A Gift for the Pope

Shortly after its completion, Jean de Montchenu presented this precious codex to the newly elected Pope Eugene IV (1383–1447), who had supported the Antonines in a conflict with the Benedictines. In this way, the manuscript also served a diplomatic purpose. Eugene IV gifted it only two years later, in 1434, to Cosimo di Medici (1389–1464). His influential dynasty maintained a patronage relationship with Saint Anthony at that time, so there was certainly also a personal and spiritual connection to the manuscript. It later found its way into the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, founded by the Medici, where it is preserved to this day.