The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian

This liturgical object is used during Mass. It depicts the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian: tied to a tree, the saint is pierced by arrows shot by the two executioners flanking him.

As evidenced by its curved shape and the notch on the reverse side, which was used to insert a handle, this object is a pax brede, extended by the officiant to the faithful during Mass.

It depicts the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian: tied to the trunk of a tree whose foliage fits within the ogee arch at the top, he is flanked by two executioners wearing wide-brimmed hats, tights, and short tunics. Despite the limited space available, the executioners draw their bows, appearing to shoot their arrows "at point-blank range." The schematic rendering of the figures, the hatched background, and the stereotyped architectural framing are reminiscent of the work of ivory workshops active in the late 15th century in a geographically undefined area between Paris and the Southern Netherlands.

Here, the liturgical function of the object is enriched by the thaumaturgic virtue attributed to Saint Sebastian, possibly intended for use by a guild of archers, of which he was the patron saint. Indeed, archery and crossbow guilds were particularly widespread in northern France and the former Netherlands.

It has not been possible to identify the print that likely served as the model for this composition, which has been condensed in width at the cost of intertwining the forms. However, it can be linked to the works of Jean d’Ypres, reproduced in books of hours printed in Paris around 1500. This pax thus enriches the repertoire of objects marked by the diffusion of the "Ypres style" in the collections of the Musée de Cluny, while also expanding the very limited corpus of pax depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.

From the collection of Octave Homberg (1844–1907), Paris. Acquired by preemption at public auction with the support of the Fondation La Marck, under the aegis of the Fondation de Luxembourg.