Saint Sebastian, unknown maker from Belgium or Germany

Saint Sebastian was executed during Roman Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of Christians in the third century. Diocletian ordered that Sebastian be tied to a stake and shot with arrows. This icon of Saint Sebastian echoes Germanic Christian art through the intentional simplicity of the plain wood surface and the emphasis on the martyr’s pain and gaunt body. Beyond scenes of martyrdom, Christian art represents a diverse range of subject matter, including icons of Jesus as an infant. The ornate aesthetic of statue of a very young child suggests both that the subject might be Jesus, and also that it may have been made in Italy or France. The infant stands on a pedestal with an elaborate blue-and-white design and gold embellishments.