It was produced in the United States and is often cited as a precursor to Dali's classical period. As the name suggests, the painting portrays the series of supernatural temptations reportedly faced by the Christian monk, Saint Anthony the Great, during his Egyptian desert pilgrimage.

The items found dotted around this work are their to provide temptation to Saint Anthony. An elephant with obelisk, inspired by Bernini and repeated in several other Dali paintings including The Elephants. A nude woman is also offering a clear erotic element to this temptation, and this inevitably lead the eye of the viewer.