
“No. Don't give up hope just yet. It's the last thing to go. When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope,” Pittacus Lore once stated on the importance of not losing faith. Saint Sebastian was a Christian martyr killed for converting Romans to Christianity during the Christian persecution period of the Roman Empire. He later developed into an icon for homosexuals due to his unwavering passion for his faith and determination to prevail in the trials he faced. The painting “Saint Sebastian” employs Sebastian’s physical appearance, symbols, and color schemes that can be linked to the theme of homosexual oppression. The usage of such elements in this adaption of Saint Sebastian makes it relevant for a contemporary audience due to the modern societal controversy of homosexual unacceptance. 

While depicting the savagery Saint Sebastian endured, the artist uses Sebastian’s physical appearance to appeal to the audience’s emotions. Utilizing a medium shot, the artist displays Sebastian with his wrists tied over his head and an arrow shot in his chest. Sebastian’s nude upper body becomes displayed, showing he wears nothing but a necklace and turban. He also has a tattoo on his chest stating the peaceful phrase “one love.” Because his arms are tied over his head and his upper body remains bare and unprotected, he appears vulnerable and defenseless. Despite the brutality Sebastian is sustaining, his body remains graceful, well-groomed, and alluring. Because he maintains an aesthetically pleasing physical appearance and a peaceful presence, the brutality he suffered forces the audience to acknowledge the irony of such violence inflicted upon a man who advocates peace and love. Similarly, homosexuals also accept and support love in all forms and are victimized for such beliefs.  

Utilizing symbols to display unwavering, peaceful beliefs, the painting maintains the theme of oppression. Unlike many other paintings of Saint Sebastian, this painting displays Sebastian tied to a pillar instead of a tree. Because pillars symbolize strength, this detail represents how spiritually strong Sebastian remained despite the trials he faced (“Christian Dream Symbols”). Containing the only written text in the painting, the tattoo of “one love” remains positioned on the left side of Sebastian’s chest, presumably over his heart. The phrase “one love” symbolizes a universal love and respect for people regardless of any differing characteristics (“one love”). Because of the addition of the “one love” tattoo in this rendition of the Saint Sebastian painting, this painting becomes a contemporary adaption that is relevant to the modern societal issue of the unacceptance of homosexuals. These symbols are effective in demonstrating the values of determination and acceptance Sebastian and the homosexual community have in common. 

The color schemes utilized in this painting contribute different biblical meanings to the image as a whole. This painting encompasses various contrasting meanings of the color red: passion, love, suffering, sacrifice, sin, and bloodshed (“Christian Dream Symbols”). The color red is displayed on Sebastian’s lips, the smoke in the background and the blood spilling from his chest. Because homosexual individuals are attracted to people of their same sex, many consider them to live in sin and believe in harming individuals of this group. Another contrast appears with the color gold, which represents god or king’s glory, and the color black, signifying great evil or danger (“Christian Dream Symbols”). The differing meaning of the colors, however, work together to degrade the institution of homosexuality. Considering it was a taboo subject when this painting was completed, the black background represents the danger of the unspoken and the unknown. Sebastian’s wrists are bound with a gold rope, representing the confinement religion plays on society’s unacceptance of homosexuality.

Because of Saint Sebastian’s dedication to his convictions and willingness to sacrifice for the cause he was committed to, he has become an icon for the community of homosexuals. The artist’s glorified and graceful rendition of Saint Sebastian displays the irony of the modern day hatred and violence against a group of individuals who accept love in a variety of forms. His utilization of symbols portrays the relationship between the struggles faced by Saint Sebastian and homosexuals and their determination to triumph over them. Continuing the argument of homosexual oppression, the use of color scheme further depicts the modern societal controversy of the unacceptance of homosexuals. Harry A. Blackmun once stated, “Disapproval of homosexuality cannot justify invading the houses, hearts and minds of citizens who choose to live their lives differently”.
