Saint Sebastian c. 16th century

Curator: Ah, this woodcut print of Saint Sebastian is quite striking, isn't it? The stark black lines against the creamy paper create such drama. Editor: It really does. It looks like a page from a book—the text above and below the central image—and it definitely feels like a heavy subject matter. How would you begin to interpret a piece like this? Curator: Well, being a woodcut, it instantly places us within a particular historical context—likely the 15th or 16th century. It was a common method for mass-producing images for religious texts or devotional materials. What do you notice about Saint Sebastian himself? Editor: He's clearly been shot with arrows, but he looks almost serene. Is that a common depiction? Curator: Absolutely. Saint Sebastian is often portrayed as a symbol of resilience and faith in the face of suffering. The arrows, while representing his martyrdom, are also strangely beautiful. It's a paradox, isn't it? Suffering and beauty intertwined. Editor: It is. I guess I came in expecting something gruesome. But I see what you mean about the beauty. It’s definitely more complex than I first thought.