St Sebastian c. 1610 - 1615

pietrotacca

3d sculpting

rounded shape

sculpture

3d character model

sculptural image

unrealistic statue

3d shape

vessel shaped image

3d character modeling

statue

Pietro Tacca's bronze sculpture "St Sebastian" (c. 1610 - 1615) depicts the saint tied to a tree and pierced with arrows. The figure is rendered with an anatomical realism and dynamic pose, typical of Baroque sculpture. The contrast between the golden finish of the saint's body and the darker patina of the tree emphasizes his suffering and the spiritual connection between his physical pain and divine grace. This small-scale, yet impactful bronze sculpture is a testament to Tacca's artistry, and his ability to imbue religious subject matter with dramatic intensity.

Comments

rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

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All traces of the arrows that, according to legend, pierced the martyr Sebastian are missing here. The drama of this scultpre is concentrated entirely in the pose of the sensual, idealized nude body. The tormented Sebastian has lost consciousness and hangs limply against the trunk of the tree to which he is bound by one wrist.