St. Sebastian 1465

Benozzo Gozzoli painted this image of St. Sebastian directly onto the wall of the Sant'Agostino Church in San Gimignano, Italy, using the fresco technique. With fresco, the artist applies pigment to wet plaster, which then absorbs the color as it dries. Gozzoli would have needed to plan his work carefully, applying each section in a single session, before the plaster dried. The quality of the plaster itself was paramount, affecting how the colors would appear – think of it as the ultimate “ground” for the painting. The evenness of the surface, the pigments ground from minerals, the speed of the artist's hand – all contribute to the finished image. What we see, then, is not only a representation of a saint's martyrdom, but also an echo of the artist's labor, and his mastery of a demanding process. Gozzoli has truly fused his own work with that of the mason. This beautiful painting reminds us that every artwork is the product of skilled making.