Gustave Flaubert 
Temptation of Saint Anthony 

First published in 1874, ‘The Temptation of Saint Anthony’ is a novel which French author Gustave Flaubert worked on throughout his life. Inspired by the painting of the same name following a visit to Genoa in his youth, Flaubert became captivated by the picture and wrote a story inspired by it in three parts. The story centres around Saint Anthony who, living alone in the Egyptian desert, is visited by visions and temptations which he must resist. Full of philosophical and existential themes, this is an original and fascinating story by the famous French novelist. –