Study for St. Sebastian in the high altar of SS. Nazarro e Celso, Brescia c. 1519 - 1520

Titian rendered this study of St. Sebastian in pen and brown ink on blue paper as preparation for an altarpiece in Brescia. It shows the saint, an early Christian martyr, tied to a tree awaiting his execution by archers. The image speaks to the fraught religious climate of 16th-century Italy. Saints like Sebastian were venerated for their steadfast faith in the face of persecution, embodying ideals of resilience during the Reformation. The placement of Titian’s final painting within a church underscores the Catholic Church’s role as a patron of the arts, utilizing compelling imagery to reinforce its doctrines. Art historians consult a range of sources – from artists’ letters and contracts to theological treatises – to understand the complex interplay between artistic creation, religious belief, and institutional power. This interdisciplinary approach illuminates how art both reflects and shapes the cultural values of its time.