Triptych of Saint Sebastian

Giovanni Bellini's Triptych of Saint Sebastian, painted around 1464 and now in the Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice, is an early work in the traditional triptych format. Saint Sebastian, protector against plague, was an especially important intercessory figure in Venice, which suffered devastating plague outbreaks. The triptych dates to Bellini's early phase when he still employed the compartmented panel format that he would later abandon in favor of unified sacre conversazioni.

Bellini's early triptych features the firm, linear drawing and angular modeling of his Paduan-influenced period, with the sharp contours and metallic drapery folds that reflect the dominant influence of Mantegna on his early work.