2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
In the history of art there are stories that have inspired artists for many centuries. Saint Sebastian, a legend about which arose in the early Middle Ages, is depicted on canvases and frescoes by thousands of artists from different countries. What are these pictures about? What is the appeal of this look?
Warrior and martyr
The events that the legend of Saint Sebastian tells about took place at the end of the third century, in the era of severe persecution of Christians. Honest and courageous Sebastian was the commander of a cohort in the bodyguard of the emperors Diocletian and Maximilian. Being a secret supporter of the teachings of Christ, he converted his soldiers to a new religion, supported in faith those who were persecuted by the pagans.
When his beliefs were revealed, Diocletian ordered his archers to shoot Sebastian. They tied him to a tree trunk and shot arrows at him. Considering him dead, the soldiers left the sentenced man in the forest. Saint Sebastian was found by those who came to bury him alive, and the mother of a friend, Saint Irina, left him. Sebastian did not want to secretly leave Rome and boldly spoke out against Diocletian, throwing accusations of cruelty in his face. ByBy order of the emperor, the martyr was beaten to death and thrown into the river with sewage. His dead body was removed from there by Saint Lucia, to whom Sebastian appeared in a dream. She buried the body near the Appian Way and the Cathedral of St. Sebastian subsequently appeared on the burial site.
During the years of severe plague epidemics that struck Europe in the Middle Ages, the belief prevailed that the disease was transmitted through the air. The flying arrows that struck the saint became a symbol of cruel illness, and Sebastian was the personification of protection from inexorable disaster. In the seventh century, a case became known when, according to a sign from above, a city dweller built a chapel dedicated to Sebastian in a plagued area, and the pestilence stopped. Since then, the cult of the saint has become widespread. Churches with images of the martyr appeared all over Europe.
Great iconography
It is estimated that about 6,000 images of Saint Sebastian have been created. Each artist reflects his vision of the image, using the artistic means of his time.
One of the canonical images belongs to the brush of the Early Renaissance master Antonello da Messina (c. 1429/1431-1479). In his painting, we see a young man tied to a post and hit by arrows, against the backdrop of the perspective of a beautiful city house with high arches, above which is a bottomless blue sky. Citizens in rich clothes serenely go about their business. The figure of the hero looks like an antique statue, his face expresses rejection of everything earthly, he does not notice either the pain from the wounds or the beauty of the landscape. Conviction in the true faith and aspirationto God gives a person beauty and spiritual purity - this is the essence of the picture.
The beauty of the true faith is shown on many other canvases, the hero of which was St. Sebastian. They were painted by such Renaissance masters as Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510), Raphael Santi (1483-1520), Pietro Perugino (1446-1523), Giovanni Boltraffio (1466-1516).
Titian Vecellio (1488/1490 - 1576)
Titian, the titan of the Renaissance, portrayed a completely different character in his painting. Saint Sebastian is a mighty warrior who opposes evil with confident calmness. The drama of impending death emphasizes the dark flavor inherent in the environment. But the picturesque structure is not gloomy, it is rich in many shades of fire, smoke, a flaming sunset sky.
Titian is a true Renaissance artist. His attitude to the harmony of the human body originates from ancient traditions, revived by the masters of that era. And the courage and freedom of pictorial means open the way for the painters of the next generations.
Old plot, new painting
In the seventeenth century, a different style of painting is born. Baroque masters continue the traditions that were laid down by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Titian. Saint Sebastian is also depicted as a beautiful young man, an ancient hero. But now the composition, form and pictorial palette become much more complicated. The faces in the pictures are the faces of people from life. They feel and act not like the heroes of myths and legends, they are taken by the artist from their surroundings, from reality.
The genius who led others becameMichelangelo Merisi de Caravaggio (1573-1610). His paintings on biblical subjects were not recognized by the official church for a long time. His rampage and indomitability deprived him of a long creative life. But he left behind a whole trend in painting - caravaggism.
His painting "The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian" is known only in copies, but the paintings of the artist's followers with a similar plot convey the features of Caravaggio's painting style. “Saint Sebastian” by Josep de Ribera (1591-1652) is a masterpiece of a new painting for that time. The characteristic dark background unites the figures illuminated by dense side light into a complex balanced composition. The magnificently painted body of the stricken martyr, the face of St. Irene, the soaring angel immediately attract attention. It is the light that draws, gives depth, kindles colors on a dark background, is typical for caravagists.
Sometimes only one light source is used, as in Georges de Latour's (1593-1652) Saint Sebastian and Saint Irene. The flame of a candle snatches out of the darkness the inexpressibly beautiful female face of Irina, the figures of a lying youth and crying women. Such lighting emphasizes the subtle play of color nuances and gives the whole scene a special meaning.
A story for all time
Artists are always interested in strong feelings that are born on the verge of life and death, in the struggle between good and evil. Saint Sebastian became the symbol of this struggle. Many great masters of painting have a picture with such a plot. El Greco (1541-1614), PeterPaul Rubens (1577-1640), Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863), Camille Corot (1796-1875), Salvador Dali (1904-1989) depicted scenes from the life of Saint Sebastian in different ways.
They all have something in common – high art born from an inspiring story and the genius of the artist.
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