St. Bartholomew from the series 'Christ, Mary, and the Apostles' 1585 - 1615

Antonio Tempesta created this print of Saint Bartholomew as part of a series on Christ, Mary, and the Apostles. Made in the late 16th or early 17th century, the print reflects the period's religious intensity, marked by the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Bartholomew, traditionally believed to have been skinned alive, is depicted holding a knife, a symbol of his martyrdom. It’s a brutal image but it speaks to the narratives of suffering and salvation that underpinned much of the religious art of the time. The print is inscribed with the words 'Credo in Spiritum Sanctum', aligning it with the doctrines of the Catholic Church. The imagery would have served to reinforce religious identity amid the period’s spiritual and political conflicts. Tempesta's work provides insight into the use of art as a tool for religious instruction, and the emotional investment tied to the narratives of the saints.