St. Sebastian 1477

Antonello da Messina's "St. Sebastian" (1477) depicts the saint tied to a tree and pierced with arrows. The painting exemplifies the artist's masterful use of oil paint, evident in the smooth, lifelike skin tones and detailed rendering of the saint's suffering. The background features an architectural cityscape, possibly referencing Messina, the artist's birthplace, adding a sense of realism and grounding the scene in a specific location. This masterpiece of Early Renaissance art can be viewed at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, Germany.