Saint Sebastian
1910/1912
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 144 x 62.5 cm (56 11/16 x 24 5/8 in.) framed: 165.7 x 84.8 cm (65 1/4 x 33 3/8 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CF
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Chester Dale Collection
Accession Number
1963.10.57
Art Historical Context
Odilon Redon’s *Saint Sebastian* (1910–1912) captures the enduring image of the early Christian martyr through the lens of Symbolism. Painted in oil on canvas during the artist’s later, vibrantly colored phase, the, narrow format—measuring over four feet in height—emphasizes the solitary, elongated figure of Sebastian. Redon, who began his career with mysterious charcoal “noirs” before embracing luminous hues, transforms the traditional subject of suffering into a dreamlike meditation on spirituality and transcendence. The work reflects Redon’s lifelong fascination with religious and mytholog...
About the Artist
Odilon Redon · 1840–1916
Odilon Redon (1840-1916) was a French Symbolist painter, printmaker, and pastellist whose visionary art bridged the 19th-century Symbolist movement and 20th-century Surrealism. Born Bertrand Redon in Bordeaux on April 20, 1840, he earned the nickname "Odilon" from his mother Odile. His father, who made his fortune in the Louisiana slave trade, conceived Odilon in New Orleans before the family retu...