Here's A Controversial Take: In My Opinion, The Statue Of St. Bartholomeo Is As Compelling As The David

Michelangelo's David is one of the greatest statues in the world.  Other nominees include Venus de Milo, the Pieta (also Michelangelo), the bust of Nefertiti, and other greats.

I would add the St. Bartolomeo statue in the Milan Duomo to that list, although we had never heard of it until our short visit to the Duomo in 2022.  It is unbelievably compelling to me.

  

One of the twelve apostles of Jesus, Bartolomeo (Bartholomew) was skinned alive and then beheaded by the Romans.  The sculptor, Marco d'Agrate, chose to show Bartolomeo flayed, where he is forced to hold his own skin like a robe.  d'Agrate was a student of Leonardo da Vinci.  The sculptor shows off his anatomy studies under da Vinci, as his muscles are the star of the piece.  It is a Renaissance example of the human anatomy, muscles and body structure.  His veins and tendons are also exposed throughout the statue.

He even holds his facial skin over his shoulder.  This is a lesson in human anatomy, with the skin off.  It's both fascinating and moving at the same time.

Some criticize the 1562 statue as "grotesque," "ghastly," and "grisly", but if you believe the human body to be beautiful, then you must believe this is a different way of showing the beauty.  Beauty is more than skin deep in this masterpiece.

(Editor: Good to see you still like alliteration -- three "g" words in a row.  Writer: Seriously, all three of those words were used in the three articles I read about the statue.)

I would go back to see the statue of St. Bartolomeo again.  And again.  And again. 

And here's some pictures. . .judge for yourself.  I'd be interested to hear your opinion:

To the left is Bartholomeo's

left knee to left foot.  Notice the

depiction of his muscles,

veins, tendons, and more. 

Draped to the right is his 

robe-like skin.

Stunning level

of detail.

Carol had the presence of mind

to take this photo with her

iPhone.  Yup, that's the skin 

and hair of his head, hanging

over his left shoulder.

Another great picture by Carol.

This close-up of his head

shows the body under the skin.

Look at his ear, for example.

Again, that's no robe draped

on him, it is his skin.  How

do these artists cut the

stone so finely without

ruining it.  The good news

is, I wouldn't get far at all

before wrecking it!

The rib cage with a thin layer

of muscles covering.