St. Sebastian

Art Historical Context

This etching and engraving, titled *St. Sebastian*, is associated with artists Edmé Jeaurat and Jules Christophe. The undated print, with its sheet trimmed to about 14 by 9 inches, belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Drawings and Prints collection, acquired in 1953 through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund. It presents a classic religious subject through the precise, linear qualities of traditional printmaking. Saint Sebastian, a Christian martyr, has long inspired artists as a symbol of unwavering faith in the face of persecution. Typically shown as a youthful figure bound and pierced by arrows, the theme allowed creators to explore both spiritual devotion and the human form. This print invites viewers to reflect on those enduring ideas of sacrifice and resilience that have appeared across centuries of Western art. Etching and engraving involve incising lines into a metal plate that is then inked and pressed onto paper, producing rich detail and tonal variety. These techniques, widely practiced from the Renaissance onward, made images more widely available, whether as original compositions or reproductions. Though little is known about this specific work’s origins, it demonstrates the expressive power of printmaking in capturing a timeless sacred narrative.

About the Artist

Edmé Jeaurat|Jules Christophe (French|French) · 1684 |1688 –1721 |1738

French, Valenciennes 1684–1721 Nogent-sur-Marne|French, Vermenton 1688–1738 Paris