Saint Sebastian (recto); sketches of a male head and a standing figure in a short cape; a copy of the figure on the recto (verso) 1500 - 1549

This is Sodoma’s “Saint Sebastian,” a drawing made with pen and brown ink. Sodoma, a contemporary of Michelangelo, was working during the High Renaissance in Italy. Saint Sebastian, a popular figure in art, was a Roman soldier martyred for his Christian faith. This drawing presents a nude, muscular figure, bound to a tree, his head tilted back in what seems to be a moment of spiritual ecstasy. During the Renaissance, the male nude was often used to express ideals of beauty and strength. However, in the context of Saint Sebastian, the body also becomes a site of vulnerability and suffering. Sodoma lived in a society where religious identity was deeply intertwined with political power. In his depiction, we can consider how issues of faith, sexuality, and power intersect. The drawing captures a moment of intense emotion, inviting us to contemplate the complexities of faith, devotion, and the human body.