Title
Saint Sebastian
The Villalobos Master (?, ca. 1450 - ?, ?)
Generic classification
PaintingObject
PaintingDate
ca. 1470Century
Third quarter of the 15th c.Cultural context / style
Late International GothicMaterial
WoodTechnique
TemperaIconography / Theme
San SebastiánProvenance
San Félix Church, Villalobos (Villalobos, Zamora, Spain)Current location
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest (Hungary)Inventory Number in Current Collection
66.16Object history
According to Gómez-Moreno (1927), the Church of San Félix (Villalobos, Zamora) once housed a main altarpiece, which was later dismantled. Although the structure of the altarpiece was Baroque, it had preserved several panels dated to the 15th century, which he described as follows: "ten busts of apostles on engraved gold backgrounds, measuring 52 by 33 centimetres; four panels, measuring 96 by 34 centimetres, depicting Saints Anthony, Sebastian, and two bishops, on damask-patterned backgrounds […]" (Gómez-Moreno, 1927). Post (1938) mentioned that the Borchard Collection (New York) contained a Saint Bartholomew from the now-lost Villalobos altarpiece. He also stated that the Schretlen Collection (Amsterdam) held a Saint Anthony Abbot, which also originated from the same altarpiece. This Saint Anthony was sold by Sotheby’s in Lot 125 (2008), and its current whereabouts are unknown.
The Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest) holds a panel depicting Saint Sebastian, which has been attributed to the Master of Villalobos. Both the Saint Anthony and the Saint Sebastian feature the same damask-patterned background. Furthermore, according to Gómez-Moreno's (1927) description, there was a Saint Sebastian in the altarpiece, leading us to believe that this piece was also part of the San Félix altarpiece in Villalobos. It is unclear how the piece ended up in Budapest or the hands through which it passed, although it is likely that in the early 20th century it was in the collection of Trinidad Scholtz-Hermensdorff, widow of Iturbe, as Post (1938) mentions that three of the panels were in her possession, and this may have been one of them.
Description
The panel depicts Saint Sebastian holding his attribute, an arrow. He is dressed in a green robe, red leggings, and a red alhareme (a Moorish-style garment). The saint's expression is vivid, with small and very delicate hands.
Locations
ca. 1470 - Early XXth c.
Mid XXth c. - present
Bibliography
- GARCÍA MARTÍNEZ, José Luis (2016): "La configuración de una colección nobiliaria. El ejemplo de la casa de Parcent (1656-1927)", nº 6, Ars Bilduma.
- GIANNOPOULOU, Dimitri Gkozgkou (2019): "La duquesa de Parcent (1867-1937), la belleza del Arte como forma de vida", en Ellas siempre han estado ahí. Coleccionismo y mujeres, Doce Calles, Madrid, pp. 211-233.
- GÓMEZ-MORENO, Manuel (1983): Catálogo monumental de la provincia de Ávila. Láminas, vol. 2, Ministerio de Cultura e Institución Gran Duque de Alba (ed. de Áurea de la Morena y de Teresa Pérez Higuera), Ávila.
- GÓMEZ-MORENO, Manuel (1983): Catálogo monumental de la provincia de Ávila. Texto, Ministerio de Cultura e Institución Gran Duque de Alba (ed. de Áurea de la Morena y de Teresa Pérez Higuera), Ávila.
- POST, Chandler Rathfon (1938): A History of Spanish Painting, vol. 7 (The Catalan School in the Late Middle Ages), nº 2, Harvard University Press, Cambridge (Massachusetts), pp. 833-834.
Record manager
Isabel Escalera FernándezCitation:
Isabel Escalera Fernández, "Saint Sebastian" in Nostra et Mundi. Cultural Heritage from Castile and Leon around the world, Fundación Castilla y León, 2025. https://inventario.nostraetmundi.com/en/work/50
