Saint Bartholomew at the National Gallery of Art is not a painting by Anthony van Dyck himself but a later copy made after his composition, executed in oil on wood after 1660. The work reflects the enduring power of van Dyck’s apostolic imagery, which circulated widely through studio replicas and copies long after the master’s death in 1641. The National Gallery of Art catalogue attributes the panel to an unnamed artist working after Sir Anthony van Dyck, distinguishing it from autograph versions of the subject.

Attribution: a post-1660 copy after van Dyck

The National Gallery of Art records the painting as after Sir Anthony van Dyck, dating it to after 1660 — nearly two decades after the Flemish master’s death. Van Dyck (1599–1641) had become a master in the Guild of Saint Luke of Antwerp in 1617 while working in the studio of Peter Paul Rubens, the leading northern painter of the day, who became a major influence on his work ^[1]. The existence of this later copy testifies to the sustained demand for van Dyck’s religious compositions in the second half of the seventeenth century, when his reputation as a court painter in England and the Spanish Netherlands had made his designs highly sought after ^[1][2].

Medium: oil on wood panel

The work is executed in oil on wood, a support van Dyck himself frequently employed for smaller devotional paintings and modelli. The panel format allowed for fine detail and a smooth finish suited to intimate religious imagery. Although the National Gallery of Art catalogue does not specify the wood type, oil on oak was the standard support for Flemish panel painting of the period, and copies after van Dyck’s compositions typically followed the materials of the original workshop tradition.

Iconography: the apostle with his martyr’s knife

Saint Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles, is traditionally identified in Christian iconography by the knife or flaying knife associated with his martyrdom. The attribute serves as an immediate visual cue for the viewer, distinguishing Bartholomew from other apostles in series of saint portraits. Van Dyck’s original treatment of the subject would have drawn on the naturalistic and emotionally expressive style he developed under Rubens’s influence, combining chiaroscuro effects with a direct, engaging presentation of the saint ^[1]. The post-1660 copy preserves this iconographic scheme, keeping the knife as the central identifying element of the composition.

Provenance and collection history

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., holds the painting in its permanent collection. The museum’s open data records do not provide a detailed ownership chain for this specific panel, but the work entered the gallery as part of its collection of European paintings. The attribution to an artist working after van Dyck rather than to the master himself reflects the museum’s scholarly assessment of the panel’s execution and quality.

Date	Event
1599–1641	Life of Anthony van Dyck, Flemish Baroque painter [1]
After 1660	Copy after van Dyck executed in oil on wood [3]
20th century	Work accessioned by the National Gallery of Art, Washington [3]

Van Dyck’s apostolic series and its afterlife

Van Dyck painted several versions of the apostles during his early Antwerp years, when he was active as an independent master and collaborator in Rubens’s studio ^[1]. These compositions were widely reproduced through copies and engravings, spreading the artist’s conception of the saints across Europe. The National Gallery’s panel belongs to this broader phenomenon of reproductive copying, which extended the reach of van Dyck’s religious imagery well beyond his own workshop production. The post-1660 date places the copy in the period when van Dyck’s legacy was being consolidated through such reproductions, particularly after his death in 1641 ^[1].

Frequently asked questions

Is this painting actually by Anthony van Dyck?

No. The National Gallery of Art catalogues the work as after Sir Anthony van Dyck, meaning it was painted by another artist following van Dyck’s composition ^[3]. The panel dates to after 1660, while van Dyck died in 1641 ^[1].

What material is the painting made on?

The work is painted in oil on wood, a common support for Flemish panel paintings of the seventeenth century ^[3].

Where is the painting located today?

The painting is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. ^[3].