The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew by Jusepe de Ribera https://www.nga.gov/artworks/72037-martyrdom-saint-bartholomew
A popular subject in Counter–Reformation Italy and Spain, Ribera’s profoundly moving work portrays the apostle’s final moments before he is to be flayed alive. The viewer is meant to empathize with Bartholomew, whose body seemingly bursts through the surface of the canvas, and whose outstretched arms embrace a mystical light that illuminates his flesh.
of Works by Old Masters, Edinburgh, 1883 (cat. not located). 1991 Art for the Nation
