

The most prominent cardinal in Rome ordered this painting as a gift for a French minister and his wife, whose name, Catherine FΓ©licitΓ©, inspired the choice of subject. The Christian martyr Saint Felicity β here in a yellow gown β was forced to witness the martyrdom of her seven sons before herself being beheaded. Trevisani included two self-portraits: as the standing man at left, and as the man looking out at us from
behind the statue at right.







