Artwork
Teile eines Altares: Martyrium des hl. Sebastian
Teile eines Altares: Martyrium des hl. Sebastian is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Hans Fries. It dates from 1501 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Created in 1501, Teile eines Altares: Martyrium des hl.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The subject matter aligns with the broader tradition of religious art intended to inspire devotion through the portrayal of saintly sacrifice.
The work depicts the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, a central figure in Christian religious art. As indicated by its title and genre classification, the painting focuses on the saint's suffering and death, serving as a visual narrative of his faith and endurance. The subject matter aligns with the broader tradition of religious art intended to inspire devotion through the portrayal of saintly sacrifice.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in tempera on wood panel, measuring 64.2 cm in height and 37.4 cm in width. It depicts the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian with a compositional focus on the saint's contorted pose and the surrounding figures, rendered in a style characteristic of early 16th-century German religious painting. The surface bears signs of age and handling consistent with its provenance in the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
History & Provenance
Hans Fries painted this work in 1501, as indicated by its inception date. It was created for the Bavarian State Painting Collections and has remained in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich since its creation. The painting depicts the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian and is classified as a religious work.
Hans Fries painted Teile eines Altares: Martyrium des hl. Sebastian in 1501. The work is part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is housed in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
It has been displayed in exhibitions focusing on Renaissance religious art at the Alte Pinakothek and in broader German art surveys at the Kunstareal complex.
Overview
Created in 1501, Teile eines Altares: Martyrium des hl. Sebastian is a panel painting by Swiss artist Hans Fries. Executed during the Northern Renaissance, the work portrays the legendary martyrdom of Saint Sebastian and now belongs to the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Context
The work belongs to a broader tradition of devotional images depicting Saint Sebastian, a popular intercessor against plague in the late medieval period. Fries’s rendition aligns with pre‑Reformation Swiss religious art, emphasizing personal piety and the visual dramatization of martyrdom that served both liturgical and instructional purposes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hans Fries (c. 1465 – c. 1523) was a Swiss painter before the Reformation. Fries was born in Fribourg, the son of a baker, and studied with the Bernese painter Heinrich Bichler. After a stay in Basel in the year…
