Eastern Images of St. Sebastian. Remarks on the Iconography
Eastern Images of St. Sebastian. Remarks on the Iconography

Summary/Abstract: The worship of Saint Sebastian is addressed to Orthodox and Catholic audiences and has a rich historical context. This text aims to shed light on the whole range of images of St. Sebastian in Orthodox art according to surviving examples from the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine periods, examining the images following the chronology of their appearance and the Western and Eastern context of the development of the saint’s imagery. The representations have different iconographic solutions in Eastern religious art (four types are defined in the paper). Possible reasons and connections in establishing and developing the different iconographic types are commented on. Some types originated in the Byzantine period, while others were introduced in the Post-Byzantine period. However, practically all types are reinterpreted until later, i.e., within the framework of the Post-Byzantine art. The representations of St. Sebastian are examined in the context of the dependencies between hagiographic and liturgical sources, the interaction between Westernart and artistic practices in the Balkans, and the influence of leading Post-Byzantine painters in terms of interpretation of the image and its inclusion in the mural pain-ting programs. Future studies could further contribute by highlighting the cultural and religious significance of these representations and their impact on the Balkans’ artistic and spiritual heritage.

• Details
• Contents