Saint Sebastian - Lot 25

Saint Sebastian Sculpture in the round, polychromed and gilded wood Spanish school, late 16th century, early 17th century Surrounded by Domenico Theotokopoulos, known as El Greco H. 146 cm Provenance - By tradition, Chapel of Our Lady of Charity, Illescas (Toledo) - Former Countess de la Béraudière collection - American Art Association sale, Anderson gallery 1885 - Sale Me Laurin Palais Galiera Paris December 7, 1973 lot n°52 - Christie's sale Chateau de Gourdon March 31, 2003 lot n° 670 Exhibition: - "El Greco, de la Crete à Tolède par Venise" Bordeaux March 12-July 31 1953, catalog no. 112. The martyred saint is depicted standing in contraposto, hands behind his back, stripped naked with his hips girded by a mid-thigh drape; his head raised and tilted to the right, wearing long, curly hair. In addition to his presumed origin in Illescas, between Toledo and Madrid, his Italianate mannerism and the marked elongation of his body, with its stretched muscles, make it possible to envisage him as part of El Greco's entourage in his Toleban period after 1577, although few sculptures can be compared with the painter's work, such as the polychromed wooden statuettes of Epimetheus and Pandora in the Prado Museum.