Study for "The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian" (for the Augustinian monastery at Diessen, Germany)1739 · Study 1946.277

Context from the museum

In 1739 a pair of monumental altarpieces by two Venetian painters (Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Giambattista Pittoni) were installed in a church in southern Germany, part of a carefully orchestrated decorative program that included architecture, painting, sculpture, and decorative stuccowork. This sketch is Tiepolo’s initial design for his altarpiece, submitted for approval before beginning the final work. With quick, assured brushstrokes, he represents the Christian martyr Sebastian bound to a tree and shot with arrows, flooded with radiant light to symbolize his devotion to his faith.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Study for "The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian" (for the Augustinian monastery at Diessen, Germany) is 31.7 cm wide and 51.7 cm high, equivalent to approximately 12.5 × 20.4 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.61:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.16 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 10.6% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 134.2 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Study for "The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian" (for the Augustinian monastery at Diessen, Germany) in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 31.7 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?