NEAPOLITAN SCHOOL. cooooose J. RIBERA.c0000000 PRIVATE COLLECTION.

SAINT SEBASTIAN.

This saint was born at Narbonne of parents originally from Milan; he was a captain in one of the companies of the pretorian guard, which did not prevent his following the catholic religion. However the society of the faithful, which was formed in the very palace of Dioclesian and without his privity, were soon betrayed: several of them were martyrised, and when, denounced by Torquato, a faithless companion, Sebastian was recognised as their chief, the emperor ordered him to be immediately taken to a field near the city, by a band of archers, who bound him to a tree and pierced his body with their arrows. In the night succeeding, Irene went thither to inter the martyr's corpse, but was much surprised to find him still living; she had him carried off, and, none of the wounds being found mortal, Sebastian was soon cured. A few days after he presented himself before Dioclesian, hoping to convert him; when the emperor again ordered him to be put to death, which was effected, and his body cast into the common sewer. Joseph Ribera has represented this scene in the most pathetic manner. The saint, in despight of his bodily sufferings, is sustained by his confidence in God; the females around him are depicted full of compassion. This most finely coloured picture, and whose clair-obscur is wonderfully effective, is moreover remarkable by a superb expression in the head of saint Sebastian. Upon the stone to the right, on which the martyr leans, appears the following: Joseph Ribera de Spagnolet F.

This picture belongs to marshal Soult, and has never yet been engraved.

Breadth, 7 feet 8 inches; height, 5 feet 9 inches.