Any references to St. Sebastian on banners?

[Condottiere]

I know St. George appears on flags and pavises, but what of St. Sebastian?

Looking for mention of St. Sebastian on banners of archer units c.1500...

Maybe associated with archery Guilds?

[Arlequín]

Low Country (and those in nearby parts of France and Germany) archery-based 'Shooter Guilds', were typically named after St. Sebastian. Most of these have been absorbed into present-day 'St. George' guilds, which were typically crossbow-orientated back then, but that of Bruges still survives.

While the badge of these St. Sebastian guilds was typically a 'Jerusalem Cross' (a large cross potent quartered with four crosslets), saints often appeared on standards and pavaises. I can't prove without a doubt that St. Sebastian appeared on a guild banner, but almost every other saint did in varying forms elsewhere; Burgundian company standards each featured their own individual saint for example.

[carlos marighela]

Dunno about medieval banners but as there are quite a number of municipalities named in his honour in Brazil and Portugal, there are plenty of coats of arms and flags, usually featuring arrows. You could nick one for your archers.


Google 'São Sebastião'

[painterman]

Appreciate that its earlier than 1500.
Burgundian Ordonnance of Charles the Bold's 1st Company had a standard with St Sebastian.
I've not seen any contemporary image for it though.
Simon

[Condottiere]

Low Country (and those in nearby parts of France and Germany) archery-based 'Shooter Guilds', were typically named after St. Sebastian. Most of these have been absorbed into present-day 'St. George' guilds, which were typically crossbow-orientated back then, but that of Bruges still survives.

While the badge of these St. Sebastian guilds was typically a 'Jerusalem Cross' (a large cross potent quartered with four crosslets), saints often appeared on standards and pavaises. I can't prove without a doubt that St. Sebastian appeared on a guild banner, but almost every other saint did in varying forms elsewhere; Burgundian company standards each featured their own individual saint for example.

Is it due to St. George's martial associations? Would a lifelike image of St. Sebastian on a banner of archers, around 1500i, be considered in bad taste?   

I know that the archery was popular in the Low Countries and possibly North West Germany and after noticing Oli's output,  Longbows/Warbows in the early 1500s , remembered I have 30 of these sculpts, painted in the early 90s and now submerged in Simple Green, to be fielded as itinerant bowmen by swapping out flags, though a generic banner with St. Sebastian might be found in French, Germanic and English companies. 

Just noticed this title yesterday: Archery and Crossbow Guilds in Medieval Flanders, 1300-1500

Any chance you've read it and if so, how is it?

[Condottiere]

Dunno about medieval banners but as there are quite a number of municipalities named in his honour in Brazil and Portugal, there are plenty of coats of arms and flags, usually featuring arrows. You could nick one for your archers.


Google 'São Sebastião'

Those images came up in my initial Google searches, but they're too modern and a little abstract. I'm looking for something of this quality:



Maybe I could print out and trace a St. Sebastian figure from period Flemish or German art...

[Condottiere]

Appreciate that its earlier than 1500.
Burgundian Ordonnance of Charles the Bold's 1st Company had a standard with St Sebastian.
I've not seen any contemporary image for it though.
Simon

It'll be almost Fall before I get round to repainting these figures and am mulling whether to use cloth or paper for the banner, so plenty of time to choose a St. Sebastian image...

[Arlequín]

Is it due to St. George's martial associations? Would a lifelike image of St. Sebastian on a banner of archers, around 1500i, be considered in bad taste?   

Just noticed this title yesterday: Archery and Crossbow Guilds in Medieval Flanders, 1300-1500

Any chance you've read it and if so, how is it?

Medieval folk were less sensitive than we tend to be, so St. Seb pierced with arrows on an archer unit standard, would be quite acceptable and appropriate to them. St. George was also popular of course, but St. Michael was the most eminent 'warrior' saint/archangel.

I've read a few essays on the Schuttersgilden (iirc one by Laura Crombie), but not any books. I think (iirc) she's very into the social and cultural aspects of the guilds, but less so on the military aspects. I find the topic fascinating, but not enough to buy the book. You can preview it on Google Books probably, so it should give you an idea of what you're getting, or even everything you'd want to know from it.

[dinohunterpoa]

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Saint_Sebastian_in_heraldry

 

[Cubs]

You probably found these already, but they are purdy.

[Arlequín]

Late 15th Century standards tended to be painted rather than embroidered and the last of Cub's offerings is pretty much how I would expect the 'style' of such an image to be. The same sort in fact as appears on Ghent's 'Maid of Ghent' Standard of c. 1480.



You could also argue for the somewhat more polished imagery on Ordonnance Company standards, as posted by Condottiere above too.

We are talking Flemish townsfolk, who I believe still have a reputation for being 'careful' with their money though. I kind of imagine some member of the Sint Sebaastiangilde probably said "my Agnes does a bit of painting" and that was that.