The Martyrdom of the Seven Sons of Saint Felicity, 1709
Francesco Trevisani

The painting vividly portrays the martyrdom of the seven sons of Saint Felicity. Kneeling to the right of the center, Saint Felicity comforts her youngest son, Martialis, pointing towards an angel descending from above with seven crowns and palm branches symbolizing martyrdom. The statue of Mars behind her signifies the Roman gods she, as an early Christian widow, refused to worship. To the left of the statue, Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius sits on his throne, having ordered Felicity to witness her sons' execution before her own. On the right foreground is Saint Januarius, being flogged with lead balls; in the middle and left foreground are Saint Alexander and the beheaded Vitalis; seated and kneeling in the middle are Saints Phillippus and Felix; while in the background, Saint Silvanus is being thrown from a tower. The painting also features a crowd of spectators and a statue of one of the Vestal Virgins. The artist, Francesco Trevisani, included two self-portraits: one next to Mars' pedestal and another in full length at the extreme left. The coats of arms and crown on the pedestal reference Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Torcy, and his wife Cathérine-Félicité Arnauld de Pomponne, who were gifted this painting by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni in 1709.

Copyright: Public domain