Saint Sebastian (El Greco, c. 1610–1614)

Saint Sebastian is a c.1600-1605 or c.1610-1614 oil on canvas painting by El Greco. In catalogue raisonnés of El Greco's works it appears as no. 280 (Harold Wethey) and no. 122 (Tiziana Frati).[1] Now oval, it was probably cut down from its original rectangular (and probably full-length) format at an unknown date and shows marked similarities to the Prado version by the same artist. Excessive cleaning has led to it losing its glaze.[2]

Its listing at a Christie's New York sale in early 2025 stated it was acquired in 1898 by Carol I of Romania, who bequeathed it to the Romanian royal collection, and that it then remained in Romania until 1976, when ownership was transferred to art dealer Wildenstein & Company.[3] It was removed from sale on 5 February after a claim from the Romanian government that it had been taken from Romania illegally in 1947 by Carol's descendent Michael I after his abdication.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Frati. La obra pictórica completa de El Greco. pp. 113-115.
  2. ^ (in Spanish) Wethey, Harold. El Greco y su escuela. Vol. II. p. 159.
  3. ^ Colin Moynihan (7 February 2025). "An El Greco Is Pulled From an Auction as Romania Objects". New York Times.
  4. ^ Jonathan Luxmoore (14 February 2025). "Romania blocks sale of El Greco's Saint Sebastian painting". Church Times.
  5. ^ "Christie's Pulls El Greco Masterpiece Amid Romanian Ownership Dispute". 6 February 2025.
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