Farewell of Jean Calas in Prison

The French merchant Jean Calas from Toulouse was falsely accused in 1761 of murdering Marc Antoine, his 30-year-old son. Calas (Calvinist) was said to have killed his son because he wanted to convert to Catholicism. In March 1762 Calas was executed. On this print is seen how the family says goodbye to Calas. Calas's daughters embrace their father, while son Pierre kisses his hand. In the right corner Calas's wife has fainted. Lawyer Gaubert Lavaysse and the maid try to bring her back to consciousness with a wet cloth. At the door on the far left two guards let a clergyman in. In response to this event Voltaire wrote his 'Treatise on Tolerance'.