Spanish school; 17th century.

Spanish School; XVII century.
"Saint Bartholomew".
Oil on canvas.
It has a back frame, c. 1810.
Measurements: 74 x 62 cm; 93.5 x 81 cm (frame).
The theme and composition of this work follows the models of the engraving of Hendrick Goltzius, Dutch draftsman and engraver. Specifically, the piece is inspired by the series "Christ, the Twelve Apostles and St. Paul" (also known as "The Short Creed", because each print was accompanied by a verse of the Creed), andin this particular case, St. Bartholomew is represented holding in his hands a large bouquet of flowers whose aesthetic is very much reminiscent of Arellano's vases.

It should be noted that the scene presents an aesthetic of tenebrist heritage, so that the image becomes an exercise in the study of the anatomy and the different textures and qualities offered by the representation of the saint, dressed in tunic and cloak. A saint who has been captured by the author, through a great realism, showing the weight of age, reflected in the wrinkles and the consequences of penance.
Saint Bartholomew was one of Jesus' apostles, and is mentioned in the Gospels always in the company of Philip. According to John, in whose Gospel he appears under the name of Nathanael, he was one of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared at the Sea of Tiberias after his resurrection. According to the Acts of the Apostles, he was also a witness to the ascension of Jesus. The tradition collected by Eusebius of Caesarea narrates that Bartholomew went to preach the Gospel in India, where he left a copy of Matthew's Gospel in Aramaic. The Armenian tradition also attributes to him the preaching of Christianity in the Caucasian country, together with St. Jude Thaddeus, so both are considered patron saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Their martyrdom and death are attributed to Astiages, king of Armenia and brother of King Polymius, whom the saint had converted to Christianity. As the priests of the pagan temples, who were running out of followers, protested to Astiages against the evangelizing work of Bartholomew, the ruler sent for him and ordered him to worship their idols, as he had done with his brother. Faced with the saint's refusal, the king ordered him to be flayed alive in his presence until he renounced God or died. The image of Saint Bartholomew has undergone few modifications throughout the history of art, being common the representation of the saint at the moment of martyrdom. Thus, he is usually represented being flayed, either on a colt or tied to a tree. He has also been depicted working miracles: resurrecting the children of King Polymius and freeing his daughter possessed by the devil. On rare occasions he appears being scourged. Sometimes he is represented with a large knife alluding to his martyrdom, according to which he was flayed alive, which is why he is the patron saint of tanners. Also in relation to his martyrdom, he is sometimes depicted skinned, showing his skin on his arm as if it were a piece of clothing.