Francisco de Goya
Saints Justa and Rufina
1817
Sacristía de los Cálices, Seville Cathedral
Goya packs a great deal of the story into this painting. The lion is the one that refused to attack Rufina in the amphitheater. The foot it licks is bare in reference to Diogenianus's order that these women run barefoot over sharp broken rocks. The pottery refers to their profession, the broken statue of Salambo to the riot in which they were attacked by a pagan mob, the palm branches to their martyrdom, their youthful visages and uncovered coifs to their virginity.
Justa and Rufina are the patron saints of Seville, whose cathedral is seen in the background.
Read more about images of SS. Justa and Rufina.
Source: Paul Hermans via this page at Wikimedia Commons.
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