This painting of a young woman breastfeeding an old man in a prison cell sold for 30 million euros.


 The painting may seem perverse, but the story behind it is a historical record.


The poor man was sentenced to "death by starvation" for stealing a loaf of bread during the reign of Louis XIV in France. The woman was his only daughter and the only visitor to his cell. She was allowed to visit him every day, but she was thoroughly searched, so that no food was taken.


When the man was still alive four months later, having not lost any weight, the authorities were perplexed and began spying on her in her cell. To their utter astonishment, they found her breastfeeding her father, sharing her baby's milk. The judges, realizing the woman's compassion and love for her father, pardoned the father and released him.


This piece of history highlights how deep a woman's compassion is in our daily lives, something that men often overlook.

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