Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Most scholars today identify Bartholomew as Nathanael or Nathaniel, who appears in the Gospel of John.
Bartholomew the Apostle, detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, 6th century
Saint Bartholomew Church (Baku) before the destruction
Altar of San Bartolomeo Basilica in Benevento, containing the relics of Bartholomew
Flaying is a method of slow and painful execution in which skin is removed from the body. Generally, an attempt is made to keep the removed portion of skin intact.
Assyrians flaying their prisoners alive
Shield showing three flaying knives, symbol of Bartholomew the Apostle
Apollo flaying Marsyas by Antonio Corradini (1658–1752), Victoria and Albert Museum, London