Ink Drawing - Ernst Bagelaar - The Martyrdom Of Felicitas & Her Seven Sons - 1805 19th Century

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Brown ink and wash drawing, Ernst Willem Jan Bagelaar, 1805

For this drawing Bagelaar got his inspiration from an etching of Jan Luyken (1649-1712). It depicts the martyrdom of Saint Felicitas of Rome executed with her seven sons (Januarius, Felix, Philip, Silvanus, Alexander, Vitalis and Martial) around 165 under the rule of emperor Marcus Aurelius, for having refused to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods. On a market scene, on foreground a man is about to behead on of the sons of Saint Felicitas. In the background on the left, behind an accumulation of corpses on the ground, Saint Felicitas is surrounded by a guard and a priest.

An etching made after this drawing, made by Bagelaar himself, is kept in Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam (ref.  RP-P-1944-119).

On the back, ink signature "Capt" (captain) "EWJBagelaar", and "August" (?) "1805".

Good overall condition, but the drawing is glued on a cardboard, with remains of glue from ancient framings. A stain in left third, a stuck back together tear in upper right corner, and a little lack in lower left corner (see pictures).

Drawing:  14 ~ 14,2  x  11,2 cm
Cardboard:  18,1  x  15,1 cm