Saint Bartholomew

Saint Bartholomew, holding the knife of his martyrdom, appears in this 1497 panel at the Princeton Art Museum. Bartholomew, traditionally believed to have been flayed alive, is typically identified by the knife and sometimes by his own skin held as an attribute. Pinturicchio renders the apostle with the decorative elegance and bright color of his mature style, presenting the potential horror of the martyrdom through attribute rather than depiction.

The single-figure saint panel is rendered with Pinturicchio"s characteristic precision, the apostle"s features and costume painted with careful attention to detail and color. The knife of martyrdom is presented as an identifying attribute rather than a weapon, maintaining the devotional rather than dramatic character of the image. The palette is rich, with the saint"s robes providing opportunities for Pinturicchio"s love of varied, brilliant color.