Felicitas Killed with Her 7 Sons, Rome, AD 104 1684

"Felicitas Killed with Her 7 Sons" (1684) is a detailed etching by Dutch artist Jan Luyken. The scene depicts the gruesome execution of a Christian mother and her seven sons, who were martyred in Rome in 104 AD for refusing to renounce their faith. The central focus of the image is the executioner, who is about to behead the last son, while the bodies of his brothers lie scattered around him. The mother, Felicitas, stands nearby with a defiant expression on her face. Luyken's work captures the brutality of the event, serving as a reminder of the sacrifices made by early Christians. This harrowing image is a prime example of the Dutch Baroque style, with its emphasis on detail and dramatic realism.