Object Description
412 Series: THE SAINTS
A. SAINT SEBASTIAN
The saint stands, arms bound to a tree, pierced by seven arrows. To either side lie his armor and helmet; in the background, leafy trees.
Bronze, 102 x 71 mm. Molded border with ring at top.
This relief and the four which follow belong to a series which consisted of thirteen or more plaquettes. Braun (Span., p. 15ff.) also associated some plaquettes depicting events from the life of Christ and other depictions of saints (cf. nos. 410, 411) with this series, but it seems likely that actually two distinct series and some individual representations, which are related only indirectly to our group, are involved. Those plaquettes which show the entire figure of the saint, apart from the three-quarter length depiction of Saint Francis, are stylistically similar and can be differentiated from the heterogeneous reliefs showing the saints in half figure. These latter appear to be based on a variety of sources and modeled by more than one artist. The similarity of the framing of all the examples suggests the bringing together of various models into one workshop. Braun believed that the plaquettes were Spanish, referring to their common appearance in Spain and pointing out the initials SI (for San Jeronimo) on the plaquette of Saint Jerome. He dated one example (in the Museo Provincial de Antiquedales at Barcelona), a plaster cast, to the end of the sixteenth century. By extension the whole series can be so dated. Braun pointed out, however, that the plaquettes were commonly aftercast, so that a secure dating of an individual example is often impossible. Despite Italian influences that can be noted on the plaquettes, we concur with Braun's theory concerning their origin. It can be further supported by reference to the representation of two saints from Cordoba, Acisclus and Victoria (no. 412C). The signature G. L. on this plaquette is unknown. Unknown to Braun were the Adoration of the Kings (Historisches Museum, Basel) and the Saint Jerome (Cologne, Kunstgewerbemuseum), both marked RS on their hangers. Perhaps the marks refer to the caster. Other specimens in numerous collections.
Bibl.: Braun-Span., p. 17, no. 4; Bange, no. 1055, pl. 85; Morgenroth, no. 354; Imbert, no. 217, pl. 45, 3; Weber, no. 1041,1. Auction catalogs: Bardini, pl. 9, 158; Heinrici, no. 114, pl. 15; Rosenheim, no. 745, pl. 34.
