The artwork titled “S.Bartholomew” is a mosaic created around the year 1025, during the height of the Middle Byzantine art period, which is closely associated with the Macedonian Renaissance. Made from the traditional mosaic technique, this piece is categorized as a religious painting and forms part of the series located at the Hosios Loukas Monastery in Distomo, Greece, where it can also be viewed.
The mosaic depicts a figure traditionally identified as Saint Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. The style is characteristic of Byzantine mosaics with its formal and iconic representation. The saint is shown with a halo around his head, signaling his sanctity. His facial features are rendered with a sense of individuality and solemnity, which was common in Byzantine art of this period. He holds a book, likely the Gospel, which is an attribute often associated with apostles and evangelists in Christian iconography. The careful placement of the tesserae—small, cut pieces of colored stone, glass, or ceramic—creates a sense of volume and texture in the depiction of the saint’s robes and features. The use of gold and earth tones in the background further emphasizes the spiritual and revered nature of the figure. The inscription around the halo uses Greek characters, contributing to the identification of the figure and offering a context for interpretation within the religious framework of Byzantine Christianity.