Saint Sebastian Bound for Martyrdom
About this artwork
The treatment of this subject is unusual, because Saint Sebastian is commonly depicted pierced with arrows. According to legend, he was a member of the Roman Emperor Diocletian’s imperial guard who was condemned to death for being a Christian. Here Van Dyck did not depict the martyrdom itself, but the moment before this, when the saint was being prepared for his grisly end. The artist painted several versions of the subject around 1620-21. In this version, the athletic youth stands out from the other figures, his heavenward gaze emphasised by the dramatic red drapery.
Updated March 2022
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artist:
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title:Saint Sebastian Bound for Martyrdom
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date created:1620 - 1621
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materials:Oil on canvas
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measurements:230.00 x 163.30 cm; Framed: 253.80 x 189.20 x 12.20 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Purchased by the Royal Institution 1830; transferred to the National Gallery of Scotland 1859
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accession number:NG 121
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subject:
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artwork photographed by:Antonia Reeve
Sir Anthony van Dyck
Sir Anthony van Dyck
Van Dyck is perhaps most famous for the grand and elegant portraits he painted of the British aristocracy when he was court painter to King Charles I. He trained in Antwerp, and worked in Rubens’s studio as an assistant. His outstanding talents were recognised and encouraged by Rubens, who...