Apostel Bartolomeüs 1591 - 1629

This engraving of the Apostle Bartholomew was made by Johan Barra around the early 17th century and is currently held at the Rijksmuseum. The composition is dominated by the figure of Bartholomew, dramatically posed with one arm raised towards the sky and the other extended outwards. Barra masterfully employs line and form to convey a sense of fervent spiritual ecstasy. Observe how the swirling lines of the sky contrast with the more rigid, angular forms of the rocks and the open book at Bartholomew's feet. This juxtaposition creates a visual tension, mirroring the internal conflict between the earthly and the divine. Bartholomew's figure, rendered with detailed cross-hatching, embodies both the suffering of man and the glorification of the saint. The halo, barely visible, destabilizes our understanding of form, suggesting a transcendence beyond the physical. This engraving is an interpretation of faith and the paradoxes within religious belief.