Why it matters
Botticelli's Saint Sebastian is shown in calm, harmonious repose, close in spirit to classical sculpture. Kenneth Clark wrote that it was the only time Botticelli achieved 'a satisfactory nude in repose'.
Did you know?
- It was painted before January 1474 for Santa Maria Maggiore in Florence.
- Rilke's poem 'Sankt Sebastian' closely matches its mood.
- It is in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
Based on the Wikipedia article Saint Sebastian (Botticelli) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
