Biddende heilige Bartholomeus 1809 - 1869

Carolina Cornelia van der Wijck created this drawing titled 'Biddende heilige Bartholomeus' using graphite. The composition centers on Saint Bartholomew, depicted from the chest up. The artist’s choice of graphite creates a delicate tonal range, moving from soft grays to deeper shadows, thereby modeling the saint’s features and clothing. Bartholomew’s hands are clasped in prayer, and his gaze is directed upwards, which gives an impression of contemplative serenity. The structure of the drawing is based on traditional religious portraiture, yet the artist subtly destabilizes conventional expectations through the level of detail afforded to Bartholomew’s human features. His lined face and furrowed brow are indicators of a life marked by hardship. The artist draws attention to the visual contrast between earthly suffering and spiritual devotion. Ultimately, the formal tension between realism and idealization invites a meditation on faith, suffering, and the human condition. It reveals how van der Wijck uses her artistic medium to negotiate complex cultural and philosophical ideas.