The allure of the female nude is at it again! Watch out Saint Anthony. 

Note to self, if naked women on animals appear before me, do not rejoice, for this is likely the work of the devil. Clearly Satan is at it again and St. Anthony on the other hand can’t seem to repel the temptations fast enough.

Saint Anthony was a man of simple tastes. He left Egypt to live in the desert as a hermit, devoid of worldly pleasures and joy. This simplistic bliss was never reached unfortunately, for the devil liked to pick on poor Anthony, tempting him with the pleasures he missed most from his regular life. Why he missed elephants with spindly legs is beyond us.

This is one of the most common biblical stories referenced throughout art history, and has been replicated by artists from Hieronymous Bosch to our boy Dalí. This painting was made for a competition held by the David L. Loew-Albert Lewin film company to see who could make the best rendition of the story of Saint Anthony. As fabulous as this version is, the competition was stolen by fellow artist Max Ernst. Check out his award winning Temptation of Saint Anthony to see why it won the gold. It seems the melodramatic Dali is a sore loser, because he never entered another painting competition again.

This painting is drenched in symbolism. The woman is standing on the gold cup of lust, which emphasizes the eroticism in the composition. Even the devil knows sex sells. Horses and elephants have been used as a symbol of strength, and the obelisk mounted on the elephant’s back is an ode to famous 17th century Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It is more than likely that the tower carried by the elephant is also phallic reference. Dalí was married to a doting wife but that didn't stop the perv from cultivating an infatuation with the male member. He even had a penis shaped swimming pool in his back yard!