Saint Sebastian
1475
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1475
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows a young man with his arms tied behind his back, arrows stuck in his chest. His body is twisted slightly, and he’s standing on a rocky ground. The background has faint shapes that look like clouds or wings. The artist used a dark, smooth metal technique to create the image—it’s not painted but etched. The shadows and light make the muscles and skin look almost three-dimensional. Next, check out chiaroscuro to see how this effect works.
