But with «St. Sebastian,» a blank - slate approach was unexpectedly easy, primarily because, for all the image's
familiarity, I realized how different the painting looked, or rather
felt, in the flesh... It's the painting's endearingly
strange comedy — especially the bottom half
of the body, which seems to flap away (and bring to mind the flagellation
of St. Bartholomew)-- that rescues it from post-adolescent self - pity and actually, in an odd way, ennobles it, as if invested with an amused stoicism.»