1905 Martyrdom of Seven Maccabees by Ciseri Art Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

This dramatic art postcard reproduces one of the most powerful works of 19th-century Romanticism: "The Martyrdom of the Seven Maccabees" (I Maccabei), painted by Antonio Ciseri in 1863. The scene captures a tragic biblical narrative from 2 Maccabees 7, where a Jewish mother and her seven sons are martyred for refusing to violate sacred Law. While the sons' bodies are depicted in contorted, lifeless poses, the artistic focus is on the mother's unwavering faith; she stands at the center, arms raised toward heaven in a silent offering. The original monumental oil on canvas is preserved as an altarpiece in the Church of Santa Felicita in Florence, Italy.

Details

Era: Divided Back (circa 1905–1915)
City: Florence (Firenze)
State or Region: Tuscany
Country: Italy / USA (Publisher locations)
Topic: Antonio Ciseri Art, Seven Maccabees, Biblical Martyrs, Church of Santa Felicita, Religious Romanticism, Italian Fine Art
Condition: Uncirculated
Postage: None
Address Side: divided back
Orientation: Horizontal (Landscape)
Artist: Antonio Ciseri (1821–1891)
Publisher: G. Cusumano, Florence, New York, and Boston (No. 1091)
Printer: Printed in Italy
Print Type: Chromolithograph