🎨 Saint Sebastian (1936) – Artur Carbonell i Carbonell

Discover this powerful 1936 oil painting by Artur Carbonell i Carbonell, held at the Fundació Ave Maria in Sitges. The artwork presents a stylised, serene and vulnerable Saint Sebastian tied to a tree, pierced by arrows—his traditional iconography—yet portrayed here with soft contours and a muted palette of greys, whites and light browns. The subdued colours and gentle shadows create an atmosphere of quiet suffering, resignation and deep spirituality.

Carbonell’s interpretation highlights Sebastian’s beauty, fragility and dignity. From the late 19th century onwards, the figure of Saint Sebastian has also become a cultural symbol of male beauty, desire and resistance to repression, embraced by artists and writers such as Oscar Wilde, Federico García Lorca and Salvador Dalí. In Carbonell’s version, the saint’s calm acceptance and exposed body evoke both martyrdom and proud visibility.

Created in 1936, on the eve of the Spanish Civil War, the painting resonates with the tensions of the time, when Catalan and European artists were reinterpreting classical myths through a modern lens. Sebastian becomes an emblem of vulnerability, resilience and defiance in the face of adversity.

Today, the work connects modern cultural heritage with the history of the LGTBI movement. As the figure of Saint Sebastian has evolved into a symbol of resistance against disease and persecution—including its association with the fight against AIDS—Carbonell’s painting stands as a powerful visual reminder of dignity, diversity and endurance.

🖼️ Collection: Fundació Ave Maria (Sitges)
📅 Year: 1936
👤 Artist: Artur Carbonell i Carbonell
📏 Dimensions: 81.5 × 60 cm