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Lot Essay
In the latter part of the 16th century Alessandro Vittoria dominated artistic life in Venice as a sculptor, decorator, painter and architect. Vittoria had no rival in these years, and his Saint Sebastian was one of his most cherished creations.
The development of this celebrated composition is known from extensive documentary evidence. The earliest version was executed in stone, as an attendant figure on the Montefeltro altarpiece which Vittoria carved in 1563-1564, in S. Francesco della Vigna, Venice. However, Vittoria seems to have become fascinated with the figure and the possibilities for creating a more attenuated version in bronze, where he could exploit the tensile strength of the material and it is known from numerous documents that two bronze versions of the St. Sebastian were cast.
This present figure of Saint Sebastian, which retains all the Mannerist elegance of the original. And while it is clearly inspired by Vittoria's iconic model, and despite the numerous inscription and probably signature of Movate and date of the 1680's, its authorship remains tantalizingly still out of reach.
The development of this celebrated composition is known from extensive documentary evidence. The earliest version was executed in stone, as an attendant figure on the Montefeltro altarpiece which Vittoria carved in 1563-1564, in S. Francesco della Vigna, Venice. However, Vittoria seems to have become fascinated with the figure and the possibilities for creating a more attenuated version in bronze, where he could exploit the tensile strength of the material and it is known from numerous documents that two bronze versions of the St. Sebastian were cast.
This present figure of Saint Sebastian, which retains all the Mannerist elegance of the original. And while it is clearly inspired by Vittoria's iconic model, and despite the numerous inscription and probably signature of Movate and date of the 1680's, its authorship remains tantalizingly still out of reach.