Saint Anthony Abbot, a 4th-century Egyptian hermit, appears here as an elderly monk. Considered the founder of Christian monasticism, he devoted his life to the self-denial of all forms of indulgence and overcame various physical and spiritual temptations. In this panel, he wears a black habit and light cloak and is shown with his attributes, including a T-shaped crutch, which may have been used to control his sheep herd, and a pig. The pig serves as a reminder of both Saint Anthony’s temptations as well as, conversely, his role as a healer of contagious diseases. Among the most common was “Saint Anthony’s Fire,” a skin disease believed to be cured by pig’s lard. This panel originally formed the right wing of a three-part altarpiece, or triptych, and would have been placed in a devotional context . Its background consists of thin sheets of gold.