Saint Justa and Saint Rufina

Saint Justa and Saint Rufina were two humble sisters who sold pottery in 4th century Seville. / According to legend, when the city was devastated by an earthquake in the 15th century the martyred sisters came down from heaven to hold up the Giralda and prevent it from collapsing. / In this work, Antonio María Esquivel, one of the most renowned Romantic painters, presents a new twist on religious art. The focus on a moment of great dramatic tension—the agony and passing of the Saints—rather than martyrdom, provides a glimpse of the subtle changes that were to occur in religious painting in the second half of the 19th century.