Saint Sebastian, c. 1480-1490
Martin Schongauerexpand_more
Engravingexpand_more
Gift of Herschel V. Jones, 1926expand_more P.10,951
Not on Viewexpand_more
Saint Sebastian was a third-century Christian martyr who was murdered during the Roman emperor Diocletian's persecution and attempted eradication of Christians living under his rule. As characteristic for this subject, Martin Schoengauer depicts Saint Sebastian tied to a tree and shot with arrows. Here, however, he depicts the bound and wounded Saint Sebastian with only the barest suggestion of setting, as was characteristic of his later work, when his designs became increasingly austere. In the absence of narrative details, the viewer is left to contemplate the saint's serene suffering and tortured body. Schongauer represents the male anatomy with impressive accuracy, while achieving a lovely combination of grace and monumentality in the figure.
Exhibitions
The Art of Murder
Saturday, July 19, 2014 - Sunday, April 19, 2015
Details
- Title
- Saint Sebastian
- Artist Life
- c. 1440/53–1491
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.10,951
- Catalogue Raisonne
- B.VI.146, 59; L.V.280, 65
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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