book could be filled with the many paintings of the dying Sebastian. Apparently, there has always been a market for flesh and gore. Here are five of my favorites. The left one above reeks of sexuality. It would seem the model was sporting an erection or had stuffed a sock in his loincloth. His stance is more one of seduction than dying. The one in the middle has a halo which draws attention from his midsection, but even so the folds of his loincloth are suggestive of what lies beneath. The one on the right clearly gives us a glimpse of pubic hair, and though not quite anatomically correct, there is surely a phallic fold in the loincloth.

he handsome lad on the left is painted in the characteristic style of El Greco. Notice that the head and hands are small while his feet are extended behind him. It is a position that draws attention to his crotch area which is indeed enlarged. Only one arrow in his body detracts from what is actually going on, and the artist seems reluctantly to have added a skimpy loincloth which looks to be falling off. On the right is a painting that must bring forth questions if not smiles. The arrows have not begun to fly. An angel is hovering overhead. Below a man's hand seems to be copping one last feel of Sebastian's crotch. If there are not sexual overtures in the painting, why on earth did the artist put the man's hand there? Medieval gay men must have loved the multitude of paintings such as these.