Saint Sebastian

Maineri was a native of Parma and was a painter for the courts and churches of Ferrara and Mantua.  While the identification and attribution of works to the artist has posed a problem for scholars, this painting bears a close resemblance to others more securely associated with Maineri.

The subject of St. Sebastian was a popular one in Italy during both the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.  Historically, the martyr was a member of the Roman Imperial Bodyguard who was betrayed due to his belief in the Christian faith.  As a result, he was taken by Roman soldiers to the Appian way, tied to a tree, and died a target of their arrows.  He looks heavenward as a symbol of his piety.  Artistically, the depiction of St. Sebastian provided artists a vehicle for the illustration of the nearly-nude male body, a pre-occupation during the Renaissance in problems of anatomy and the imitation of nature.  Here, the artist has placed the figure within a shell-like niche reflecting the Renaissance interest in classical architecture and ornament.

The partially obliterated inscription at the Saint's feet reads SANCTE SEBASTIANE, or Saint Sebastian.