Spanish School, 17th century The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian

Spanish School, 17th century
The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian

signed lower right: El Mudo fecit.
inscribed with inventory number lower right: No. 336
oil on canvas, unlined
unframed: 209.7 x 146.2 cm.; 82½ x 57½ in.
framed: 225 x 161.9 cm.; 88⅝ x 63¾ in.

Condition Report:
The canvas is unlined, the paint surface is dirty and the varnish is discoloured. Areas of well preserved impasto are visible in Saint's loin cloth and white turban and sleeve of the figure to the left. The paint surface is raised in parts of the picture, notably in the darks around the three figures. Scattered paint losses are visible in these areas. Inspection under violet light is partly impeded by a thick layer of old varnish which reveals scattered areas of retouching in the background. The work is in overall moderate condition and would benefit from conservation.

Catalogue Note:
Close inspection of the signature would seem to indicate it is contemporary to the painting. Few artists are known by the sobriquet 'El Mudo'. Amongst them are Juan Fernández de Navarrete (1526–1579) and Pedro el Mudo (active 1634–1648), both active in Madrid in the late-16th and mid-17th centuries respectively.