Why it matters
The almost naked apostle Bartholomew looks at us helplessly while a sadistic, drunken executioner delightedly flays him. The story mirrors the myth of Marsyas, who suffered the same punishment.
Did you know?
- The painting follows the Golden Legend.
- A classical statue lies on the ground.
- It once belonged to the illustrator Alexandre de Riquer.
Based on the Wikipedia article The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew (Ribera, 1644) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
