Saint Sebastian (1910) by Odilon Redon

Saint Sebastian - Odilon Redon - 1910

Artwork Information

TitleSaint Sebastian
ArtistOdilon Redon
Date1910
Mediumpastel,paper
Dimensions26.75 x 20.88 cm
Art MovementSymbolism
Current LocationMusée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

About Saint Sebastian

The artwork titled “Saint Sebastian” was created by the artist Odilon Redon in 1910. Executed in pastel on paper, this piece exemplifies the Symbolist art movement. The dimensions of the artwork are approximately 26.75 x 20.88 cm, and it is categorized as a religious painting. Currently, “Saint Sebastian” is housed at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France.

The artwork portrays the figure of Saint Sebastian, a Christian saint and martyr who is commonly depicted in art. He is typically shown tied to a tree and subjected to a martyrdom of being shot with arrows. In Redon’s rendering, the figure of Saint Sebastian is seen tied to a barren tree, with the saint himself almost merging with the trunk, emphasizing his connection to his fate. The background is awash with hues of blue and yellow, suggesting perhaps a celestial or unearthly atmosphere, which is characteristic of Symbolism’s penchant for the spiritual and the evocative.

The saint’s body is rendered with a sense of delicacy and vulnerability, contrasting with the rough texture of the tree’s bark. The ground below is dotted with red flowers, which could symbolize the bloodshed of the martyr or serve as a visual metaphor for the concept of sacrifice that his story embodies. The pastel medium allows for a softness in the composition and a luminosity in the colors, lending the artwork an ethereal quality that aligns with its religious symbolism.

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