Saint Sebastian (El Greco, 1610–1614) facts for kids

Saint Sebastian is a painting made by the famous artist El Greco between 1610 and 1614. It's an oil painting on a canvas. This was the last of three times El Greco painted Saint Sebastian.

Today, the painting is in two large pieces. Both parts are kept at the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain. The top part was given to the museum in 1959. The bottom part was bought by the museum in 1987.

About the Painting

Who Was Saint Sebastian?

Saint Sebastian was a soldier in ancient Rome, around the 3rd century. He was part of a special guard unit called the Praetorian Guard. Sebastian was a Christian. The Roman Emperor at the time, Diocletian, wanted all soldiers to give up their Christian beliefs.

Sebastian encouraged his fellow soldiers to stay true to their faith. Because of this, he was sentenced to death. Many artists liked to paint Saint Sebastian. It gave them a chance to show a dramatic scene with a strong figure.

El Greco's Unique Style

El Greco was known for his special way of painting. In this artwork, Saint Sebastian's body, especially his neck, looks longer than usual. El Greco did this to make the painting more dramatic and emotional.

Sebastian is looking up towards the sky. It's like he is quietly waiting for something important to happen. In the background of the painting, you can see the city of Toledo. Saint Sebastian didn't actually have any connection to Toledo. El Greco might have added the city because someone asked him to, or to make a special link between the saint and the city.

See Also

• List of works by El Greco
• Saint Sebastian (El Greco, 1576-1579)