Saint Sebastian
The protector of plague victims and soldiers, Saint Sebastian was shot with arrows for converting Romans to Christianity. He is pictured here miraculously surviving his ordeal as an angel descends to bestow his laurel crown and release his wrists—still wrapped with rope—from the tree. Heightened by the pale ivory, the tears trickling from Sebastian’s eyes express his vulnerability. His righteous plight would have provoked compassion, but his naked body also allowed artists to explore the sensuality of the male form.
Artwork Details
- Title: Saint Sebastian
- Maker: Circle of Master of the Furies (Austrian)
- Date: 17th century
- Culture: Austrian, possibly Salzburg
- Medium: Ivory; kingwood socle
- Dimensions: Overall: 17 1/2 in. (44.5 cm) (without wooden socle)
- Classification: Natural Substances-Ivory
- Credit Line: Purchase, European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Fund, Walter and Leonore Annenberg Acquisitions Endowment Fund, and Mr. and Mrs. J. Tomilson Hill and Hester Diamond Gifts, 2013
- Object Number: 2013.36
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Audio
92. Saint Sebastian, Part 1
Gallery 551
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