Spanish school; 19th century.
"Saint Rufina and Saint Justa".
Oil on canvas.
It presents perforations and faults on the pictorial supervision.
Measurements: 195 x 125 cm; 215 x 142 cm (frame).
This work recreates the painting of Murillo carried out in 1666 that at present belongs to the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville and that originally was created as part of the decoration of the church of the Convent of the Capuchins of Seville.
Saint Justus and Rufina were two sisters born in Seville in 268 and 270, who died in 287. It was customary to celebrate a feast in honour of Venus once a year to commemorate the death of Adonis. The streets of the city would be lined with people asking for alms for the feast. In one of the celebrations, the followers of Venus arrived at the house of Justa and Rufina asking for money, but the sisters refused to pay it because it was contrary to their faith, and decided to smash the figure of the goddess between them, thus provoking general anger.
The prefect of Seville, Diogenianus, had them imprisoned and threatened them with martyrdom if they did not abandon Christianity. When they refused, they were tortured, Diogenianus hoping that their treatment would be enough to make them renounce their faith.
They survived their condemnation, so they were punished again, this time they had to walk barefoot until they reached Sierra Morena. Seeing that nothing broke their faith, Diogenianus had them imprisoned until they died. the first to die was Saint Justa. once he had finished with Justa's life, Diogenianus thought that Rufina would succumb to his wishes more easily, but she did not, and decided to end her life in the most dismal way in those times, he took her to the amphitheatre and left her at the expense of a lion to be torn to pieces. The beast approached and all it did was wag its tail and lick her clothes as a pet would. So Diogenianus had it beheaded.