Lot Essay
According to legend, after Saint Sebastian was shot full arrows, he was left for dead, but did not perish. A Roman widow named Irene nursed him back to health, thus becoming the patron saint of nurses. We are grateful to Professor Riccardo Lattuada for suggesting a tentative attribution to Paolo Domenico Finoglia (Orta di Atella or Naples c. 1590-1645 Conversano) on the basis of a photograph (written communication, 20 April 2015).