Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.A member of the third-century Roman emperor’s praetorian guard, Sebastian was secretly a Christian. When this was discovered, he was tied to a tree and shot with arrows. The disturbingly sadistic action of the bowman is typical of Cecco’s unconventional approach to traditional subjects. He employs the cut-off figure in the lower right as a surrogate for the passive viewer.
As a youth, Cecco had modeled for Caravaggio and thus learned firsthand the manner of achieving a startling realism from the practice of painting directly from posed models viewed in raking light. The sharp focus and emotional impact of his pictures deeply impressed the young Valentin.
Artwork Details
- Title: Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian
- Artist: Cecco del Caravaggio (Francesco Buoneri) (born ca. 1588/90–after 1620)
- Date: ca. 1611–13
- Dimensions: 48 13/16 × 63 3/4 in. (124 × 162 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Muzeum Narodowe, Warsaw
- Curatorial Department: European Paintings