Saint Sebastian
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): 21 3/8 × 6 3/8 × 6 3/8 in. (54.3 × 16.2 × 16.2 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Bronze
Culture
Italian, Venice
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Samuel D. Lee Fund, 1940
Accession Number
40.24
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Saint Sebastian** (1566) by Alessandro Vittoria, a leading Venetian sculptor of the Mannerist era, exemplifies the Renaissance fascination with the idealized male nude fused with Christian iconography. Crafted in bronze—a durable medium prized for its rich patina and ability to capture intricate details—this 21⅜-inch figure stands in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decor Arts collection, acquired through the Samuel D. Lee Fund in 1940. Vittoria, born Alessandro Vittoria di Vigilio della Volpa (1525–1608), trained under Jacopo Sansovino and drew inspiration from Michel...