unknown - Saint Bartholomew - 1750–1780 - T-Shirt

A bearded apostle stands alone on a small patch of ground, haloed and wrapped in a heavy robe, drawn in brown ink on cream paper.

Visual Elements & Composition

The figure fills the vertical sheet, shown in three-quarter view and turning slightly to the left. A long undergarment and a mantle fall across the chest in deep folds to the feet. One arm reaches outward at waist height, with the hand partly closed, while the other stays close to the body. Hatching on the shadowed side of the robe gives the figure its form. A few small plants sit at the lower left, and a single ruled border frames the whole sheet. Sepia brown dominates against the pale paper.

Meaning & Symbolism

Saint Bartholomew is one of the twelve apostles, traditionally associated with preaching in distant lands and with martyrdom. The halo, the bearded face and the frontal, dignified stance mark him as a sacred figure meant for contemplation. The outstretched hand reads as a gesture of address or teaching, though the small object it holds is too slight to identify. The drawing dates from 1750 to 1780 and belongs to a tradition of single devotional studies made in pen and ink as preparation for paintings, prints and pious images.

On the Unisex Heavy Cotton Tee

A standing figure suits the front of a tee, where the robe and outstretched arm read clearly from across a room. The ruled frame and open paper give the composition room to breathe on the chest, so the saint is seen whole rather than cropped. Wearing him puts a quiet, centred devotional image on everyday clothes.