Jacques Callot The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, c. 1634; Conveying the instance of Saint Sebastian's martyrdom, Callot (Nancy, 1592- Nancy, 1635) depicts the cruel moment in which the saint is bound to a stake to be shot at mercilessly by surrounding archers. Callot creates a well-balanced composition with a developed sense of depth and perspective. Sebastian stands in the center of the composition, a small but recognizable figure identified by the arrows already piercing his body and the desolate plot of land that surrounds him that designates him as the target. He is surrounded by a sea of archers that span far into the distance. In the foreground, heavily shaded figures raise their bows and arrows and prepare to shoot while others merely lounge and observe the horrific scene. According to the biblical story, the widow of Castulus went to retrieve his body to bury it and discovered Sebastian still alive, a truly miraculous occurrence.

Created c. 1634, this original engraving is signed in the plate in the lower right 'Callot Jn et fec' and printed on a fine paper with an unidentified watermark (intertwined C's with a crown, cross, and dagger).

Documented and Illustrated in:

1. Schroder, Thomas. Jacques Callot: Das gesamte Werk Druckgraphik. Munich, Verlag Rogner & Bernhard GMBH. Volume 2 listed as plate 1496

About the Framing:

Museum-grade conservation framed in a complementary moulding with silk mats and optical grade Plexiglas.