Saint Sebastian
Unknown Artist
c. 1600–1620
Medium
painted and gilded wood
Dimensions
139.5 × 54.6 × 45.1 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
European Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1980.41
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
An early Christian saint and martyr, Sebastian was condemned to death by the Roman emperor Diocletian. Bound to a tree and shot with arrows, he survived—only later to be martyred by beating. This figure embodies the blend of stylistic influences that characterized German sculpture in the early 1600s. The graceful pose and anatomical naturalism of the legs indicate the influence of Italian Mannerism, while the crisp, stylized patterns of Sebastian’s hair and loincloth recall German Gothic works f...