The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian - Antique Flemish oil painting on canvas

Antique oil painting on canvas of Flemish origin representing the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. In the lower foreground, the martyrdom scene: on the right, the group of archers constitutes the dramatic nucleus of the scene, with an intense contrast between their troubled faces, their silhouettes partially in shadow, the muscles tense in the effort on one side and the other, the radiant beauty of the Saint, whose body, defined by a decisive plasticity and a massive volume, offers itself docilely to martyrdom, even bending over in a position parallel to the hostile arches. In the upper part, an angel comes to the aid of the Saint holding in his hands the laurel crown - symbol of victory through martyrdom - and the palm, symbol of martyrdom and rebirth.