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Notes
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In this painting we see Esther, the Jewish heroine of the Old Testament, presenting herself to Ahasuerus, King of Persia, in an attempt to save the Jewish population of Persia, who he had condemned to death. In doing so, she risked her life: approaching the King without his permission was punishable by death. Ahasuerus points his golden sceptre towards Esther, a sign that she can speak. As he does so, however, she faints; her attendants rush to support her. The figure at the lower right may be the king’s advisor Haman, who had encouraged him to carry out the massacre. Ahasuerus ultimately accepted Esther’s plea, saving the Jewish community. The loose handling of the paint and the small scale suggest that this was a preliminary sketch for a larger work, although no such finished painting is known.
Title
Esther before Ahasuerus
Date
probably 1730-4
Medium
Oil on canvas
Measurements
H 47 x W 33 cm
Accession number
NG2101
Acquisition method
Bequeathed by the Misses Cohen as part of the John Samuel collection, 1906
Work type
Painting
The National Gallery, London
Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England
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