The most prominent cardinal in Rome ordered this painting as a gift for a French minister and his wife, whose name, Catherine Félicité, inspired the choice of subject. The Christian martyr Saint Felicity – here in a yellow gown – was forced to witness the martyrdom of her seven sons before herself being beheaded. Trevisani included two self-portraits: as the standing man at left, and as the man looking out at us from behind the statue at right.