Focus on Saint Sebastian (Preti) and discuss the History.
The painting was made on behalf of the nuns of the San Sebastiano, Naples in Naples, during Preti first stay at the city. Following criticism and pressure from the artists of the Neapolitan environment, above all Luca Giordano, who considered the representation of the saint devoid of the nobility and beauty that distinguishes him in classical iconography, the work was removed from the chapel where it was located.Embittered by the incident, Preti handed his canvas to a nobleman who placed it in the family's private chapel, inside the church, today Basilica, of Santa Maria dei Sette Dolori, in Naples, where it remained on view until 1974 (the nobleman affirmed that the painting could thus be "the school of young people who want to profit from a perfect drawing, and an excellent natural."). The same year the work was transferred, for security reasons, to the National Museum of Capodimonte.
Naples Luca Giordano San Sebastiano, Naples National Museum of Capodimonte