Being from Louisiana I tried to relate to my most immediate receiving viewer, culture, and demographic. When looking at this painting the viewer will see a technically sound painting that pulls you in with-it realistic style but also the drama and story that doesn’t meet the eye at first, leaving the viewer wanting to know more. With this specific painting being a Louisianan I would expect the assumption to be related to slavery. A black man wounded from arrows, tied to a tree on the swamps bank, appearing almost deceased. This brings an instant relationship to viewer and painting. Opportunity to teach the viewer about the saint and the saints’ story, and potentially seeing themselves as chosen saint – changed the race of the saint in order to create a deeper connection.
Zumo, Jacob. St. Sebastian the Black.
