St. Sebastian 1836

Eugène Delacroix made this version of St. Sebastian for the Saint-Michel Church in Nantua, France. It illustrates Sebastian after being shot with arrows for his Christian beliefs. As a painter working after the French Revolution, Delacroix worked in a society shaped by both the Catholic Church and the secular state. Artists were expected to take on roles of public service, using their art to illustrate important religious ideas, or historical and mythological stories, for the moral benefit of the public. You might look at how Delacroix used light and shadow to create a sense of drama in the image, guiding the viewer’s eye to the focal point of St. Sebastian’s wounded body. The original commission documents for this painting, along with letters and other writings by Delacroix, can help us understand the various social forces that influenced his work. This helps us understand its meaning in its original context.