In 1987 or 1988, one of my undergraduate art history classes met at the Denver Art Museum. While walking through the museum to the meeting, I happened on a small (approx. 3′ tall) wooden statue depicting a male figure, shot through with arrows. The arrows were separate pieces of wood that had been inserted into holes drilled into the wood of the body. This was my first encounter with Saint Sebastian. I already had a fascination with martyrdom and crucifixion, especially the acute, intense suffering involved and the voluntary nature of it as depicted in Christianity. That statue, of wood riddled with arrows, brought a new angle on the topic.
I continued to be interested in St. Sebastian as time went on. It is surprising that I had not happened on him sooner–he is frequently depicted in Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern art. As I began to more consciously explore religious themes in my etchings (e.g. here or here), my imagination kept drifting back to Sebastian and that wooden statue. When I first started exploring iconography, in my Archangels series, I thought about depicting Sebastian as a porcupine. I was intrigued by the arrows becoming reversed into quills, but was not able to develop the idea at the time.
I came to see Sebastian’s martyrdom by arrows as a form of crucifixion, and, as my theological understandings deepened, to see crucifixions–going back to the famous one–as a form of embracing one’s Fate. By this I mean seeking out our purpose in life and accepting that purpose, even if it is painful to do so. Evading that purpose will ultimately cause greater pain then accepting it, but accepting it will be transformative. Like Sebastian’s arrows, the thing that seemed to be pain will turn out to be strength.
In Sebastian’s case, the arrows didn’t actually kill him. St. Irene came to collect his pin-cushioned body, in order to bury him. She found that Sebastian was still alive, and nursed him back to health. Unfortunately, the early fourth century was a rough time to be a Christian. Both Sebastian and Irene did end up martyred; Sebastian was clubbed to death, and Irene died of either burning or an arrow through the throat (stories vary).
Saint Sebastian
3rd century, Italian, martyr.
The porcupine has accepted the arrows and turned them into useful protection.
Bird in upper right is St. Irene, who nursed Sebastian back to health after arrow incident (later martyred herself).
The dove in upper right represents the Holy Spirit.
Plants at bottom are arrowhead plants (genus saggitaria).
Saints Reimagined 