Spanish school; end of the XVII century.

Spanish school; late seventeenth century.
"Saint Bartholomew".
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It has a frame of the nineteenth century.
Measurements: 71 x 55 cm; 82 x 65 cm (frame).
From the formal point of view, the painting shows a sober and contained naturalism. The anatomy of the face, marked by wrinkles and a serious expression, denotes an interest for the physical veracity and the individualization of the model. The light, directed and clear, models the volumes by means of moderate hallmarks, avoiding extreme tenebrism, but preserving a marked relief effect. The work fully responds to the assumptions of the Spanish Baroque in its devotional aspect: isolated figure, half-length, cut out against a neutral or architectural background barely suggested, in this case, a classical column that provides compositional stability. The chromatism is articulated around the dialogue between the intense red of the mantle, symbol of martyrdom, and the light-colored tunic, whose material treatment reveals attention to the textile qualities. In late-baroque Spanish painting, this type of representation was part of apostolic series destined both for churches and private oratories, where they fulfilled a catechetical and meditative function.
The work represents Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, one of the most recognizable figures of the Christian saints for his martyrdom. Traditional iconography identifies him by means of the knife, the instrument with which, according to tradition, he was flayed alive, an attribute that the artist places in the foreground as an unequivocal sign of his identity and his testimony of faith. The saint is depicted with intense psychological concentration; his direct and penetrating gaze questions the viewer, establishing an emotional bond characteristic of post-Tridentine spirituality.