New Spanish School. Mexico. 18th Century. “Saint Paul Miki, Saint Diego Kisai, and Saint John Soan de Goto: The Jesuit Martyrs of Japan” Oil miniature on copper. Later frame in mercury-gilt bronze. Copper diameter: 5.5 cm. A remarkably beautiful miniature conceived in the manner of an ad nostrorum devotional image (created for a member of the Society of Jesus), depicting the Martyrs of Nagasaki — the Jesuit missionaries martyred in 1597: Paul Miki, Diego Kisai, and John Soan de Goto. Painted with profound devotion, entirely characteristic of Mexican Baroque painting, and recalling the tenderness found in the works of Páez or Cabrera, this miniature on copper, intended as an intimate object of private devotion, is filled with luminosity and soft delicate tones. It portrays several of the Catholics — Franciscan missionaries, Jesuits, and lay believers — who were persecuted for their faith in Japan, particularly during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Jesuit martyrs of Japan were missionaries and local converts who, following the evangelization initiated in 1549, endured intense persecution throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. Many survived and continued their ministry in secrecy, facing executions, torture, and crucifixion for refusing to renounce their faith. The mission began with the arrival of Saint Francis Xavier in 1549. Over the following decades, the Jesuits succeeded in establishing a Christian community of more than approximately 300,000 converts, transforming Nagasaki into a flourishing center of cultural exchange. The missionaries became especially notable for their adaptation to local culture, as exemplified by the Jesuit visitor Alessandro Valignano. The great persecution began in 1597 under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who, fearing foreign invasion, initiated a violent suppression of Christianity. On February 5th, 1597, the execution of the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Nagasaki took place, during which six Franciscan missionaries, Jesuits (including the Japanese Saint Paul Miki), and several lay believers, catechists, and children were crucified. During the 1620s, Christianity was officially prohibited and missionaries were expelled or executed. Many Jesuit priests chose to remain in hiding — known in Japan as Kakure Kirishitan (“Hidden Christians”) — secretly ministering to the faithful while enduring extreme torture and death if discovered.