Saint Sebastian and Saint Apollonia

Saints Sebastian and Apollonia stand together in this 1510 panel at the Museum of Grenoble, pairing two martyrs associated with bodily suffering and miraculous healing. Sebastian, pierced with arrows and traditionally invoked against plague, and Apollonia, whose teeth were extracted in her martyrdom and who became patron of dentists, were linked by their endurance of physical torment and their posthumous intercessory power. The Grenoble painting dates from Perugino's late career, when his mature style was fully formed and his workshop could efficiently produce altarpiece panels for the many churches across Italy and abroad seeking his imprimatur. The Museum of Grenoble's possession of this work reflects the dispersal of Italian Renaissance panels into French regional collections.

The two saints are presented in the balanced, symmetrical arrangement characteristic of Perugino's paired saint panels. Sebastian's nude torso allows Perugino to display his command of anatomical rendering, while Apollonia's costume provides opportunities for textile detail. The palette is clear and harmonious, typical of his mature work.