Background
He was born in Venice, Italy circa 1485.
He was born in Venice, Italy circa 1485.
He studied under Giovanni Bellini and, later, Giorgione.
His post in the Papal Cancelleria, as keeper of the papal seals (piombi), gave him the name by which he is popularly known. After studies Sebastiano went to Rome to paint frescoes in the house of Agostino Chigi. Here he met Michelangelo and became his follower. His style from this time onward is Michelangelesque, becoming increasingly manneristic in his late work.
He painted numerous portraits; his Resurrection of Lazarus is now in the National Gallery, London, and his Martyrdom of St. Agatha is in the Pitti Palace, Florence.
He painted portraits and religious subjects in oils, and once he was established avoided the large fresco schemes that took up so much of the time of Raphael and Michelangelo. He made excellent drawings, nearly all as compositional sketches. He continued to prefer to draw on light blue paper in black chalk with white highlights, a Venetian habit.
He was always cheerful and humorous, and very good company.
In 1519 Michelangelo became godfather to Sebastiano's first son, Luciano, after which Sebastiano addressed his letters to "My dearest compare" ("godfather").
