St. Bartholomew, from Christ, the Apostles and St. Paul with the Creed

The saint is shown with a thick, curled beard and muscular frame, leaning against a rocky outcrop. In his hands he holds a curved knife, the instrument of his martyrdom by being flayed alive. The background displays a rugged landscape with a distant castle, all rendered in a distinctive swelling line-work.

Part of a series linking the Twelve Apostles to the articles of the Apostles' Creed, this work demonstrates the Mannerist use of heightened anatomical expression to convey spiritual fervor. Goltzius was a central figure in the intellectual circles of the Netherlands and later the court of Rudolf II, where art, science, and the mystical frequently intersected.