Saint Sebastian
Amico Aspertini·c. 1505
Historical Context
Amico Aspertini's Saint Sebastian, painted around 1505, depicts the early Christian martyr pierced by arrows — one of the most frequently represented subjects in Renaissance art. Aspertini was an eccentric and highly original painter from Bologna whose expressive, anti-classical style set him apart from his contemporaries. His unconventional approach to anatomy and composition earned him a reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in early sixteenth-century Italian painting.
Technical Analysis
The oil on panel reveals Aspertini's distinctive, somewhat mannered figure style with elongated proportions and expressive distortions. The energetic brushwork and unconventional treatment of the saint's anatomy distinguish this from more conventional Renaissance depictions of the subject.
Provenance
Probably Samuel Woodburn, London; (probably Woodburn estate sale, Christie Manson & Woods, London, 9-11 June 1860, no. 68, as Perugino); purchased by Sir John William Ramsden [1831-1914], 5th Bart.[1] Anonymous collection, Milan, by 1931. (Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi, Florence and Rome); sold 1938 to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[2] gift 1961 to NGA. [1] Not included in Ramsdem sale held at Christie's, London, 11 July 1930. [2] See also The Kress Collection Digital Archive, https://kress.nga.gov/Detail/objects/1902.
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