Antonello da Messina (c.1430-1479)
San Sebastiano (St. Sebastian)
c.1478
Oil on canvas transferred from wood, 171 x 85.5 cm
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden
Antonello da Messina set the martyrdom of St. Sebastian in Venice, as can be seen from the waterways in the background or the typical chimneys. As one of the largest European trading cities, Venice was a central transshipment point for exotic luxury goods. The two carpets depicted also reached the lagoon city via trade routes. They were made in Anatolia and were a sought-after piece of equipment throughout Europe. They can also be found in the paintings of Dutch artists, such as Johannes Vermeer.
Antonello da Messina painted the picture for the first altar of the Brotherhood of St. Rocchus in Venice. This Scuola was founded in 1478 when the lagoon city was once again hit by a plague. In the center of the altar, which stood in the church of San Giuliano, there was a sculpture of St. Roch. This sculpture was flanked by the panel of St. Sebastian and a depiction of St. Christopher, now lost. All three saints were venerated as plague saints.
The artist, who came from Sicily, stayed in Venice in 1475/76; shortly after his return to Messina, the depiction of St. Sebastian was created. With the extremely steep perspective, the seemingly lively depiction of the incarnate and the sculptural modelling of the nude, the artist shows a veritable feat of the early Renaissance. With this painting, Antonello da Messina deliberately placed himself in an artistic competition (Italian “paragone”) with his Venetian painter colleagues. (Andreas Henning | SKD)