THE IMAGE OF ST. SEBASTIAN

Posted: December 22nd, 2022

THE IMAGE OF ST. SEBASTIAN

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 THE IMAGE OF ST. SEBASTIAN

The History of St. Sebastian (AD 256-288)

St. Sebastian was an early Christian martyr and saint. Born and raised in Gaul, he later moved to Rome where he joined the military under Emperor Carinus. He became a captain during the reign of Emperor Diocletian and was persecuted and clubbed to death. Sebastian’s body was found in a sewer by a pious woman. She claimed to have had a vision in which the saint instructed her to bury his remains near the entrance of Calixtus graveyard, where St. Sebastian Basilica stands today.[1]  Today, the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic churches recognize him as a saint.

Sebastian’s Martyrdom

The first information about the martyrdom of St. Sebastian was given by St. Ambrose of Milan by the 4^th century in one of his sermons. According to him, Sebastian was a venerable saint. Today, he is popular among athletes, while historically, he was seen as a saint with a unique ability to intervene and guard people against the plague. Sebastian was discreet about his faith until AD 286 when he showed support openly to his friends Marcellian and Mark, who had been sentenced to death because of their faith.  The captain who had converted to Christianity started influencing others to follow his religion.[2] After Diocletian learned about his betrayal, he commanded some archers from Mauritania to kill him, but they left him to die. He was freed and cared for by Irene, another saint. The story of his healing is found in 17^th-century paintings.

After his recovery, St. Sebastian went to confront the emperor about his cruelty and antagonism towards Christianity. According to history books, Sebastian stood by a staircase to speak against the emperor, who thought he was dead. Diocletian ordered him to be apprehended and beaten with clubs to death, and his body was disposed into a common sewer.[3]

St. Sebastian’s martyrdom became an interesting topic among many Renaissance artists, such as El Greco, Perugino, Andrea Mantegna, Sandro Botticelli, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. All the Renaissance art images of St. Sebastian have a similar connection in the sense that they show his distressing physical torture. Many of the surviving arts show his flesh being torn by archers, “…an ostensibly ravaged body that never displays an idealized beauty.”[4] As explained by an author, a common disturbing aspect of the saint’s iconography is that no matter how extensive his injuries seemed to be, he was always portrayed as alive. To explain how striking the iconography is Talvacchia writes,“ Rather than merely exhibiting his attribute of torture, or acting with an extensive narrative, the body of Sebastian is most often displayed to the viewer as having absorbed a rain of arrows, in some instances showing several that penetrate organs.”[5]

St. Sebastian’s Connections with the Plague

Although plagues have been historically documented, none of them is said to be as catastrophic as the bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death that affected Europe in the 14^th Century.[6] Till today, historians remain unsure of the actual origin of the plague that destroyed entire settlements.[7] Several historians point out that the epidemic originated from East Asia and eventually spread all over Europe. Given that Venice was actively participating in transnational trade along the Mediterranean area, it was unavoidable that the plague would affect the island, although none could have thought that it would cause massive death.

During the pestilence and plague that affected the Roman empire, a great devotion to St. Sebastian emerged.  After his conversion, Sebastian had compelled some of his close friends to convert, one of them being a Roman captain who was healed of an outbreak after he forsook his pagan idols. This saw the saint become commonly connected to the cure of plague, particularly throughout the cities of the Italian peninsula. In most villages and cities where medical information was strictly limited before the modern and Renaissance eras, the duty to care for the sick was left to religious people from the Catholic Church. The people, mainly from Florence, believed that the plague saint, in this case, St. Sebastian would safeguard. Talvacchia supports this in Chapter 8 of his book, stating, “Then it was divinely revealed that the plague would never cease until an altar was raised in Pavia in honor of St. Sebastian.” [8] In Florence, an altar was constructed to honor the saint. Shortly after this, the plague stopped, and a church was built in the city to thank him for his intercession.

His Depictions and the “Signals” in Depictions

As stated by Talvacchia, St. Sebastian’s image served two purposes, which the author refers to as “double life.” [9] The religious purpose of Sebastian’s image was for relief against the plague, while stylistically, the form that the Renaissance artists gave to the body developed into a skill test in demonstrating the human figure as depicted by several artists.  Sebastian was honored as a saint who acted as an agent to release people from illness and physical pain. His images were strikingly embodied to show the beauty of his body under pain and suffering, which in turn encouraged the faithful whose bodies were suffering degradation.

Artists during the Renaissance period became interested in St. Sebastian’s story because of several reasons. For one, the story offered them a chance to depict a nude image without the fear that it would be considered as indecent by the church. The painters rebelled antique nudity ideals but were, for a long time, forced to respect any religious boundaries. For instance, David Rosand, on one of Sebastian pieces as drawn by Titian, explains how the artist drew nude images of the saint. He says, “that aspect of the Venetian’s art could prove something of an obstacle: too much nature, not enough art… the beauty of the figure is acknowledged despite its unimproved naturalism.” [10]

The saint’s age was probably altered for the same reason. At the time of his execution, he was a mature man. However, the first depictions during the 6^th to 11^th centuries showed him as mature, muscular, bearded and fully clothed since a captain could not be a young person. However, the 13^th-century artists undressed him and made him appear more youthful. The 15^th -century Italian painters depicted him as a tender, feminine young man who took after Apollo.[11]

Sebastian’s iconography is quite varied. From time to time, the saint is depicted as supporting Marcellian and Mark in their belief when they are taken for execution. In other art pieces, he is depicted together with St. Irene, who rescued and nursed his arrow wounds until he fully recovered. St. Sebastian is also depicted as the protector of plague victims during the Black Death plague era. However, the most popular story is the death of the martyr. In those images, St. Sebastian is depicted as a nude young man, who is knotted to a column or a tree and cut with several arrows. According to Rosand, the arrows are elements of martyrdom.[12] The beauty in the saint’s nude body became a major theme in his depictions, with his popularity reaching its peak in the fifteenth century. Almost concurrently with Antonello da Messina, Sebastian’s image entered the drawings by Sandro Botticelli, Antonio Pollaiuolo, and Andrea Mantegna. Later, Paolo Veronese, Titian, and Jusepe Ribera drew the saint’s image.

St. Sebastian’s Allusions to the Pagan God, Apollo

Some factors prompted the association between St. Sebastian and Apollo. One links to the fact that the saint’s body was buried in a location that was initially used as a temple site dedicated to Apollo.[13] The second factor is linked to the assumption that Sebastian reversed the pagan god’s connection to the Black Death plague. This means that Apollo imposed the pestilence, and Sebastian protected Christian believers against it. “The reversal is reflected in St. Sebastian’s formal resemblance to Apollo.” [14] As explained by Talvacchia, arrows were Apollo’s weapons and a sign of his power. As a vehicle to Apollo’s anger, his arrows sent foul plagues among the Greeks. [15] Although his arrows have the power to deflect or send a plague, Christian texts state, “Sebastian’s arrows stand for his suffering and, by extension, the torment of those similarly oppressed.” [16] Considering that the saint was not killed or defeated by the arrows, to Christians, it symbolizes the saint’s capability to prevent a plague.

The third factor is that Sebastian is symbolized as Christ’s imitator, as is represented in the Savior’s likeness. The artists gave Apollo’s features to Sebastian. It is important to remember that Albrecht Durer argued in the case of having Christ’s painting put in the church’s service, claiming, “The pagan people attributed the utmost beauty to their heathen god Apollo. Thus, we shall use if for Christ the Lord, who is the most beautiful man.”[17] Given the three factors explained above, one understands that it is not just a mere coincidence that the Christian martyr was often endowed with Apollo’s features.

How Sebastian’s Image is Received by People

St. Sebastian is the patron saint of archers and athletes. In literature and art, he is depicted as tied to a tree or a post with arrows piercing his body. The artistic nature of Sebastian’s image is seen as symbolic of the gifts and virtues of stamina, justice, persistence, strength, and bravery in the face of challenges and hardship. Athletes associate with him due to his great physical strength and endurance in overcoming the attacks of arrows inflicted on his body and the ability to oppose the powerful Emperor Diocletian. Christians believe that Sebastian went down because of his faith, and to many Catholics, he reminds them of both Christianity and sport suffering. Today, a number of athletes carry St. Sebastian’s prayer cards and rosaries, wear his medals, and say prayers dedicated to him.

The attitude towards St. Sebastian’s image changed after the 16^th Century. The reason is that he was no longer needed by people to intercede against the plague. As the history of the evolution of his image receded, the only aspect left was seduction. Later, receptors of Sebastian’s image modified it and changed its contexts, thus altering its appreciations. “Comments about new cultural uses of Sebastian’s representation could be demeaning rather than perceptive, even in ostensibly authoritative sources.” [18] Today, the saint is out of style, and nothing is left of him among the non-Christians other than the unavowable and conceding patronage of homosexuals who are seduced by his physical image and his nudity.

The Eroticized Saint

As posited by Liepa, St. Sebastian is the only Christian martyr whose nudity is depicted. The loin clothing barely covers his dignity.[19]  According to sexology experts who have dedicated several research works to Sebastian’s image, such as Igor Kon, the saint’s image is favorite among gays. This implies that gay groups have acknowledged the saint. Opinions have been created, claiming that the saint was homosexual. His paintings have drawn the attention of the LGBTs or sexual minority groups with evidence supporting this claim. There is, however, no clear evidence showing whether the saint had any sexual associations with either women or men given that he was a Christian believer. However, a combination of his face showing blissful pain, his strong masculine shirtless figure, and the penetrating arrows in his body has attracted gay artists for many years and is said to have started the overtly gay cult in the nineteenth century. The martyr’s arms are tied and raised, thus uncovering his body and his armpits for gaze. Some artists make his body appearance relaxed and feminized, and to many, it causes homoerotic imaginations, with some people imagining themselves as his tortures while others put themselves in his feelings and suffering. Gay people see Sebastian as a spectacular advertisement for homoerotic desire and an ideal representation of the tortured private case.

The number of arrows that pierce St. Sebastian’s body is significant too. If the arrows are too many like in Giovanni’s art, then his body is not seen as too tempting and naked. However, the majority of the 15^th-century painters depicted two to five arrows, thus arousing gay interest with many declaring their love for the image. The artists did not show his body in much pain but showed him appearing like he was enjoying his powerlessness, hence overlooking the outmoded phallic stereotypes of men being the subjects of a situation. This made it easy for gays to objectify their sadomasochistic desires and feelings. A number of them claimed that Sebastian’s image helped them become conscious of their sexual orientation, particularly in the 20^th Century.

Conclusion

Conclusively, the history of Renaissance art may be observed according to trends, styles, and eras, as well as the creativity of specific artists. Artwork may also be created according to certain images based on the way one piece of art is depicted by other artists in differing epochs. Iconographies of St. Sebastian, are particularly interesting from this perspective. It is clear from the discussion that St. Sebastian’s image has been presented with completely different meanings. He is a martyr and a saint among Christin believers, one who safeguards people from plagues, a symbolism of spiritual beauty, as a person who escaped death miraculously, a charming person generally, and an epitome of homosexual love.

Bibliography

Freedman, Luba. “Saint Sebastian in Veneto Painting: The ‘signals’ Addressed to ‘learned’ spectators.” (1998).

Liepa, Valentina. “The Image of Saint Sebastian in Art.” Acta humanitarica universitatis Saulensis. T 8 (2009): 455-462. Accessed 7 November 2019, http://www.su.lt/bylos/mokslo_leidiniai/acta/2009_8/liepa.pdf

Marshall, Louise. “Manipulating the Sacred: Image and Plague in Renaissance Italy.” Renaissance Quarterly 47, no. 3 (1994): 485-532.

Rosand, David. “Titian’s Saint Sebastians.” Artibus et historiae (1994): 23-39. DOI: 10.2307/1483471

Talvacchia, Bette. Taking positions: On the Erotic in Renaissance Culture: Chapter 8 The Double Life of St. Sebastian in Renaissance Art.  Princeton University Press, 1999.

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[1] Valentina Liepa, “The Image of Saint Sebastian in Art.” Acta humanitarica universitatis Saulensis. T 8 (2009): 455.

[2] Bette Talvacchia. Taking positions: On the Erotic in Renaissance Culture: Chapter 8; The Double Life of St. Sebastian in Renaissance Art (Princeton University Press, 1999), 228.

[3] Bette Talvacchia, Taking Positions, 229.

[4] Talvacchia, 226.

[5] Talvacchia, 226.

[6] Louise Marshall, “Manipulating the Sacred: Image and Plague in Renaissance Italy.” Renaissance Quarterly 47, no. 3 (1994): 486.

[7] Liepa. 456.

[8]  Talvacchia. 230.

[9] Talvacchia, 231.

[10] David Rosand, “Titian’s Saint Sebastians.” Artibus et historiae (1994): 23.

[11] Luba Freedman, “Saint Sebastian in Veneto painting: The ‘Signals’ Addressed to ‘Learned’ Spectators.” (1998), 8.

[12] Rosand,38.

[13] Freedman, 8.

[14] Freedman, 10.

[15] Talvacchia, 233.

[16] Talvacchia, 233.

[17] Freedman,10.

[18] Talvacchia, 243.

[19] Liepa., 461.