Study for "The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian" (for the Augustinian monastery at Diessen, Germany)
By Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1739
Curatorial Notes
In 1739 a pair of monumental altarpieces by two Venetian painters (Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Giambattista Pittoni) were installed in a church in southern Germany, part of a carefully orchestrated decorative program that included architecture, painting, sculpture, and decorative stuccowork. This sketch is Tiepolo’s initial design for his altarpiece, submitted for approval before beginning the final work. With quick, assured brushstrokes, he represents the Christian martyr Sebastian bound to a tree and shot with arrows, flooded with radiant light to symbolize his devotion to his faith.
Artwork Identification
Title Study for "The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian" (for the Augustinian monastery at Diessen, Germany)
Title (PT) Estudo para "O Martírio de São Sebastião" (para o mosteiro agostiniano de Diessen, Alemanha)
Title (ES) Estudio para "El Martirio de San Sebastián" (para el monasterio agustino de Diessen, Alemania)
Artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Artist Bio Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (Italian, 1696–1770)
Date 1739
Work Type Painting
Location & Collection
Institution Cleveland Museum of Art
Source View Museum Page
License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
