Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Early 17th-century Lombard painter
Circle of Daniele Crespi (Busto Arsizio, 1597-1600 – Milan 1630),
Saint Sebastian
oil on canvas
Dimensions: 82 x 60 cm. In frame 100 x 79 cm.
Full details of the painting (click HERE)
Saint Sebastian, soldier and martyr of Christ, is an evocative figure who appears with incredible frequency in art as one of the most frequently depicted saints in the Catholic Church.
Protector against pandemics, formerly believed to be signs of divine wrath imposed on the world for its sins, he was therefore depicted copiously, especially between the 16th and 17th centuries.
Immortalised at the moment of his martyrdom, following his death sentence imposed by Diocletian, the saint is depicted here with great realism: the scene, faithful to classical iconography, portrays him tied to a tree trunk, with his hands clasped and raised above his head, suffering with an arrow piercing his flesh.
The composition focuses attention on the saint's muscular anatomy and his expression: often depicted as a beautiful naked young man with a light drapery around his hips, he became a pretext for artists in the Renaissance and Baroque periods to represent the aesthetic ideal of the male body.
Rather than a suffering martyr, he sometimes appeared as a classical hero, with an “ambiguous charm” that made him particularly appealing to art lovers.
Although traditional iconography depicts him pierced by arrows, only one is visible in this particular painting. The focus is entirely on the emotional expression and anatomical rendering of the body, struggling between life and death.
The intensity that emanates from his body is emotionally powerful, illuminated by a strong light that emphasises his figure and illuminates his body and face with his eyes turned towards the sky, in an ardent sentimental expression of dramatic anticipation.
The marked realism traces its authorship back to the Lombard school of painting of the early 17th century, an extraordinarily fruitful artistic period which, in the first half of the century, saw a succession of excellent artists, making Milan one of the most influential centres of Italian painting of the time in every respect.
The characteristics of the canvas, and in particular the physiognomic features of the face, marked by a strong pathos, are elements that recall the style of Daniele Crespi (Busto Arsizio 1598 – Milan 1630), one of the leading exponents of 17th-century Milanese art, with a painting style that seems to gradually detach itself from the still fashionable Mannerist trend, moving towards a Carracci-inspired classicism.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The images were taken using a professional photographic set and lighting .
The work is sold complete with an attractive frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic card.
We take care of and organise the transport of purchased works, both in Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
If the work is purchased by non-British customers, it will be necessary to obtain an export permit, which takes approximately 10-20 days. Our gallery will take care of the entire process until the permit is obtained. All costs for this procedure are included.
It is also possible to view the painting in our gallery in Riva del Garda.
We would be delighted to welcome you and show you our collection of works.
Please contact us, without obligation, for any additional information.
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Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
