Saint Sebastian
1770–90
Medium
Etching; first state of two
Dimensions
Sheet (Trimmed to plate): 8 5/8 × 6 1/8 in. (21.9 × 15.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962
Accession Number
62.650.176
Art Historical Context
In the late 18th century,oese artist Giovanni David this striking etching of *Saint Sebastian*, a beloved martyr saint often depicted bound to a tree and pierced by arrows as punishment for his Christian faith. Created between 1770 and1790, the work captures the dramatic tension of the saint's suffering, embodying the religious devotion central to Baroque and Rococo-inspired art in Italy. David's etching reflects the period's emphasis on expressive linework and emotional intensity, drawing from Genoa's rich tradition of printmaking influenced by masters like Tiepolo. This is the rare first st...
About the Artist
Giovanni David · 1749–1790
Giovanni David (1743–1790) was a Genoese painter and etcher whose brief career, shaped by distinguished patronage and wide-ranging travel, produced a body of work remarkable for its experimental verve. Born in Genoa, he came under the protection of Count Giacomo Durazzo, a cultivated Genoese nobleman and diplomat who became the defining figure of his artistic life. Durazzo sponsored David's traini...