Artwork
The Apostle Bartholomew (Paul)
The Apostle Bartholomew (Paul) is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist El Greco. It dates from 1610 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays the Apostle Bartholomew alongside Paul, identified by a book attribute that marks his evangelical mission. This pairing underscores their shared apostolic role and the narrative of early Christian expansion. The work belongs to the religious art genre and was created by El Greco in 1610 using oil on canvas. It is housed in the Museo del Prado.
Technique & Style
The medium of oil paint on canvas is consistent with El Greco's late practice, and the relatively modest scale suggests an intimate devotional format.
The Apostle Bartholomew (Paul) is an oil painting on canvas, executed by El Greco in 1610. The work measures 70 cm in height by 56 cm in width. Classified as a religious painting, it is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
The medium of oil paint on canvas is consistent with El Greco's late practice, and the relatively modest scale suggests an intimate devotional format. The composition depicts the apostle alongside a book, rendered in the religious genre tradition.
History & Provenance
The oil painting The Apostle Bartholomew (Paul) was created by El Greco in 1610. Executed on canvas, the work depicts religious figures, specifically identifying Bartholomew the Apostle and Paul the Apostle alongside a book. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
No specific details regarding the original commission, the identity of the initial patron, or the precise chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are provided in the available records.
The Apostle Bartholomew (Paul) is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is catalogued as part of the museum's holdings of El Greco's religious paintings. The work is an oil on canvas measuring 70 cm in height by 56 cm in width, dated to 1610. Its subject matter combines Saint Bartholomew, identified in the source as the Pseudo St. Paul, with the figure of Paul the Apostle, alongside a book and additional apostles including Matthew.
No specific exhibition history or accession number is documented in the available sources.
Overview
El Greco’s oil painting dated 1610 portrays the Apostle Bartholomew, identified by the presence of a book and a staff. The figure stands against a dark backdrop, his solemn gaze directed outward. Dressed in a blue robe over a red cloak, the composition emphasizes the saint’s contemplative demeanor, typical of the artist’s late period.
Context
Created during the final decade of El Greco’s career, the portrait reflects the artist’s sustained interest in religious portraiture for Spanish patrons. The use of vivid red and blue garments mirrors contemporary liturgical colors, while the somber mood aligns with the period’s emphasis on devotional intensity.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Doménikos Theotokópoulos was born in 1541 in Candia (modern Heraklion), the capital of Venetian-ruled Crete, where he was trained in the post-Byzantine tradition of icon painting.
