Saint Bartholomew

"Saint Bartholomew" is a profound and precisely executed engraving created by the German Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer in 1523. This work is one of Dürer's significant final prints, showcasing his consummate skill in the demanding medium of copperplate engraving. Produced shortly before his death, the piece demonstrates the artist's dedication to harmonizing the technical sophistication of Northern European art with the classical ideals absorbed during his travels to Italy. The classification of the work as a print emphasizes its potential for wide dissemination, a critical factor during the turbulent early stages of the Reformation.

The subject matter focuses on the apostle Saint Bartholomew, who is traditionally depicted holding the instrument of his martyrdom: the large flaying knife. Dürer presents the saint as a powerful, imposing figure, yet one characterized by deep introspection, reflecting the shift in devotional and religious scrutiny occurring in Central Europe. The meticulous handling of the burin is evident in the intricate cross-hatching and subtle variations in line weight, which define the texture of the drapery and lend psychological depth to the apostle's gaze. This detailed approach typifies Dürer’s late exploration of individualized depictions of Saints, transforming traditional symbolic figures into highly individualized personages.

Dürer produced many iconic prints during his career, and Saint Bartholomew stands as a sophisticated example of his late-style precision and emotional weight. The widespread production of these fine engravings allowed works of this caliber to circulate broadly, influencing subsequent generations of artists across Europe. This superb impression of the work is held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, serving as a key artifact of German Renaissance art. Like many seminal works of this period, the image itself often enters the public domain, ensuring continued accessibility for scholarly study and appreciation.