Skip to main content

Antonio del Pollaiuolo and Piero del Pollaiuolo, 'The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian', completed 1475

Key facts
Full title The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian
Artist Antonio del Pollaiuolo and Piero del Pollaiuolo
Artist dates about 1432 - 1498; about 1441 - before 1496
Date made completed 1475
Medium and support oil on wood
Dimensions 291.5 × 202.6 cm
Acquisition credit Bought, 1857
Inventory number NG292
Location Not on display
Collection Main Collection
The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian
Antonio del Pollaiuolo and Piero del Pollaiuolo
/

A pale, clean-shaven young man, naked but for a loincloth, is bound to a tree. He gazes towards heaven, seemingly unaffected by the four arrows which pierce his upper body. This is Saint Sebastian, a Roman soldier who secretly converted to Christianity and was executed for his faith.

This altarpiece was painted in the mid-1470s by two brothers, Antonio and Piero del Pollaiuolo, for the Pucci family chapel in Florence. The chapel was very large, so the altarpiece needed to be clear even from a distance.

The artists used this large scale to show off their talent for perspective and for geometrical structure. The monumental figures of Sebastian and his tormentors make a giant triangle in the foreground, with the archers' arms and legs pressing up against the sides of the painting. Behind them the winding river draws our eyes into the blue distance.

Download image
Download low-resolution image

Download a low-resolution copy of this image for personal use.

License this image

License and download a high-resolution image for reproductions up to A3 size from the National Gallery Picture Library.

License image
Download low-resolution image

This image is licensed for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons agreement.

Examples of non-commercial use are:

  • Research, private study, or for internal circulation within an educational organisation (such as a school, college or university)
  • Non-profit publications, personal websites, blogs, and social media

The image file is 800 pixels on the longest side.

As a charity, we depend upon the generosity of individuals to ensure the collection continues to engage and inspire. Help keep us free by making a donation today.

Download low-resolution image

You must agree to the Creative Commons terms and conditions to download this image.

Creative Commons Logo