Die Heiligen Sebastian und Georg (?)

Sebastian and George — two warrior-martyrs whose cults were among the most popular in late medieval Germany — are paired in this panel from around 1490, now in the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe. Zeitblom was working in Ulm during this period on several large altarpiece commissions, and this panel is likely from one of those projects. The pairing of a noble soldier-saint (George) with a Roman legionary martyr (Sebastian) was a common combination in German altarpieces, offering male patron figures of different character and social class for devotional identification.

George in armour and Sebastian in classical athletic undress present contrasting physical types demonstrating Zeitblom's range. George's shining armour required virtuoso rendering of reflective metal surfaces, while Sebastian's exposed body allowed anatomical display.