Saint Sebastian appears front-on, depicted naked and half-length. He turns his head slightly to the left and half-opens his mouth. This work could pass for a classic portrait of a young man, were it not for the arrows piercing his body.
Saint Sebastian, a centurion in the Roman army, is said to have lived in the 3rd century AD. After affirming his Christian faith and performing several miracles, he was reported to his superiors, who had him tied to a column and riddled with arrows. He miraculously recovered from his wounds and was eventually beaten to death.
According to Jacques de Voragine's "Golden Legend," Sebastian, tied to his column, was "covered with spikes like a hedgehog." However, the painter only shows a few arrows, to highlight the young man's muscled figure. It appears that in his earliest depictions, Saint Sebastian is seen as a mature, bearded man. However, the Italian Renaissance preferred the image of a beardless young man. In Christian imagery, Saint Sebastian is one of the rare pretexts for a representation of male nudity.
What’s more, the artist emphasises the saint's dignified character, as if he were insensitive to pain. This choice highlights the perfect beauty of the martyr.
Inv. P 778
Saint Sebastian appears front-on, depicted naked and half-length. He turns his head slightly to the left and half-opens his mouth. This work could pass for a classic portrait of a young man, were it not for the arrows piercing his body.
Saint Sebastian, a centurion in the Roman army, is said to have lived in the 3rd century AD. After affirming his Christian faith and performing several miracles, he was reported to his superiors, who had him tied to a column and riddled with arrows. He miraculously recovered from his wounds and was eventually beaten to death.
According to Jacques de Voragine's "Golden Legend," Sebastian, tied to his column, was "covered with spikes like a hedgehog." However, the painter only shows a few arrows, to highlight the young man's muscled figure. It appears that in his earliest depictions, Saint Sebastian is seen as a mature, bearded man. However, the Italian Renaissance preferred the image of a beardless young man. In Christian imagery, Saint Sebastian is one of the rare pretexts for a representation of male nudity.
What’s more, the artist emphasises the saint's dignified character, as if he were insensitive to pain. This choice highlights the perfect beauty of the martyr.
Inv. P 778
