PROVENANCE: Julius
Weitzner, London, 1965; Gift of Harry and Nathan Dwoskin to BJU M&G,
in memory of their brother, Oscar, 1965.
Construction of this elusive artist's career continues to plague scholars.
In fact, the actual identification of the artist has been problematic.
Names like the Candlelight Master, Teofilo Trufam, and Maestro Jacomo
have all been used interchangeably for works of art identified with Trophime
Bigot. It appears that Bigot began his training in a studio in Arles.
By the 1620s he is documented as living in Rome and specializing in Caravaggesque
half-length figure compositions, such as the present one. Subsequent
works reveal that Bigot must also have been influenced by the work of
Honthorst while in Rome. Bigot reappeared in Arles by
1634 and then undertook numerous commissions for altarpieces around Arles
and Aix-en-Provence.
French and Dutch Caravaggisti often used the theme of St. Sebestian
Aided by St. Irene. It is one of the most identifiable subjects used
by Bigot, who painted it at least four times. Superstitions connected with
the reoccurrence of the plague increased the subject's popularity in the
17 th century. The plague is also called "The Silent Death," and Sebastian
survived a "silent death" of another kind. An officer in Diocletian's third-century
army, Sebastian fell victim to Diocletian's persecution of Christians.
Since Sebastian refused to renounce his faith, Diocletian had him shot
through with arrows. However, with the help of Irene, his friend's mother,
Sebastian miraculously survived the arrows. When an arrow is shot, it flies
to its victim in silence before it kills-hence the name "silent death." Since
Sebastian had survived the silent arrows of death, people mistakenly believed
that by praying to him they, too, would survive the "silent death" of the
plague. Although Sebastian survived this first attempt on his life, Diocletian
next ordered him taken to the arena and beaten to death with clubs.
 |
