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Uppsatsen undersöker St. Sebastians ikonografiska koppling till homosexualitet. Syftet är att undersöka den ikonografiska förändring som sker när St. Sebastian går från att vara en kristen martyr i sakrala sammanhang, till att i sekulära sammanhang symbolisera den homosexuella identiteten. Francesco Vezzolis verk Selfie Sebastian analyseras därför för att se hur St. Sebastians homoerotiska arv kan spåras i en samtida kontext. Uppsatsen antar ett genealogiskt perspektiv och tillvägagångssätt, när uppsatsens frågor poserade i nuet försöker besvaras. För att med hjälp av kontextualisering försöka hitta och rama in sammanhang, relevanta för uppsatsens syfte och frågeställningar. På grund av syftets och frågeställningarnas natur involveras ikonografisk analys. Uppsatsens frågeställningar är: ”Vilka diskursiva, historiska och kulturella brytningar eller skiftningar kan identifieras i övergången av St. Sebastians ikonografiska bild från religiös martyr till symbol för homosexualitet?” och ”Vilka aspekter av St. Sebastians homoerotiska arv kan spåras i Francesco Vezzolis Selfie Sebastian?”. Frågor som uppsatsens tre analyskapitel försöker svara på. Det första analyserar St. Sebastians historia och ikonografiska utveckling. Det andra analyser St. Sebastians ikonografiska koppling till eroticism och homoeroticism. Martyrdomens symboliska och metaforiska koppling till feminiserad maskulinitet, homoerotiskt begär och sadomasochism. En fördjupad analys av pilens symboliska och metaforiska betydelse, och helgonets myts koppling till den homosexuella identiteten. Det tredje analyserar Vezzolis verk Selfie Sebastian i utställningen Musei delle Lacrime, och dess koppling till den homosexuella identiteten. Resultaten identifierar följande brytpunkter: Pilens intåg i St. Sebastians ikonografi, ett skifte till ett större fokus på helgonets martyrdom. Renässansens klassiserande, där ikonografin blir mer erotiskt laddad, ett skifte som tillåter symbolisk och metaforisk koppling till homo, The essay examines St. Sebastian's iconographic connection to homosexuality. The aim is to examine the iconographic change that occurs when St. Sebastian goes from being a Christian martyr in sacred contexts, to symbolizing a homosexual identity in secular contexts. Francesco Vezzoli's work Selfie Sebastian is therefore analyzed to see how St. Sebastian's homoerotic heritage can be traced in a contemporary context. To answer the essay's questions posed in the present, the essay adopts a genealogical perspective and approach. Combined with contextualization, the essay tries to find and frame contexts relevant to the purpose and questions of the essay. Due to the nature of the essays aim and questions, iconographic analysis is also being used to some degree. The essay's questions are: "What discursive, historical and cultural breaks or shifts can be identified in the transition of St. Sebastian's iconographic image from religious martyr to symbol of homosexuality?" and "What aspects of St. Sebastian's homoerotic heritage can be traced in Francesco Vezzoli's Selfie Sebastian?". The essay's three main analytical chapters tries to answer these questions. The first analyzes St. Sebastian's history and iconographic development. The second analyzes St. Sebastian's iconographic connection to eroticism and homoeroticism. The Martyrdom's symbolic and metaphorical connection to feminized masculinity, homoerotic desire and sadomasochism. An in-depth analysis of the symbolic and metaphorical meaning of the arrow, and the connection of the myth of the saint to the homosexual identity. The third analyzes Vezzoli's work Selfie Sebastian in the exhibition Musei delle Lacrime, and its connection to the homosexual identity. The results identify the following breaking points: the entry of the arrow into the iconography of St. Sebastian, a shift to a greater focus on the martyrdom of the saint. The classicism of the Renaissance, where the iconography becomes more erotically charged, a sh

The question of homoerotic sensibility is, in the purpose of this thesis, a matter of visual language connected to the portrayal of male bodies. By identifying this sensibility throughout the western art canon the essay seeks to understand its origins, development and function in relation to expressions of power. With the introduction of theorists such as Alois Riegl, Laura Mulvey, Abigail Solomon-Godeau and Raewyn Connell, the aim is to deconstruct homosexual masculinity. Adapting formal analysis and parts of visual semiotics, the focus lies on the visual expression of power through the homoerotic gaze, and asks what consequences it has in forming homosexual identity. Greek antiquity is home not only to the ideals that foster western art history, but is also where we find early examples of same-sex affection being portrayed in the arts. Hence classical antiquity is so important for the homoerotic: whenever the classical language of style is popular throughout history, we are sure to find homoerotic sensibility. For reasons mentioned, the main periods analyzed are the Italian Renaissance, the French Neoclassicism and then, naturally the late 20th century onwards as this is the period of gay liberation and modern homosexual identity. By identifying classical acceptance of homosexual relations only in the form of a clear social hierarchy, we soon discover how homosexuality has appropriated the idea of binary difference within its masculinity throughout history. Accepting relationships only between erastes and eromenos, or man and ephebe, homosexuality is forced to exist only on the terms of difference of power. With classical ideals, these tendencies are recurring in the visual representation of male homosexuality, and becomes a big part of the liberation and forming of a modern identity in the late twentieth century. As a result of objectification of the male body, in combination with idealized and sexualized power, modern gay culture has in many ways embraced a des