Lot 153
European, Baroque, 17th to 18th c. A dramatic oil on canvas painting depicting Queen Esther fainting before King Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes I) and falling into the arms of two maids as the King leaps from his throne to comfort her. Interestingly, Tintoretto was among the first artists to show Esther in the act of fainting, thus conjuring the Virgin collapsing at the foot of the Cross. Additional figures in this composition include two adults visible just beyond a drawn curtain at the left and a young boy kneeling behind the King. The painting presents hallmarks of the Baroque period - rich jewel tone hues, dramatic use of chiaroscuro, a drawn billowing curtain to at the upper left, and an overall theatrical quality that imbues the scene with a sacred air. In addition, the placement of the figures, so close to the picture plane and almost spiraling before the viewer creates a sense of dynamism and impending movement also characteristic of this period. Size: 11.75" L x 17" W (29.8 cm x 43.2 cm) Size: 16.2" L x 21.4" W (41.1 cm x 54.4 cm)
This beautiful work of religious art is mounted in an attractive custom frame with elaborate openwork. Please note: the pigments of this painting have been tested via x-ray florescence and are consistent with the period.
As told in the Book of Esther of the 1st Testament, Esther, Ahasuerus's second wife, learned that Haman, chief minister to the King, was plotting to massacre all the Jews of the Persian Empire. Esther, who had concealed her Jewish identity from the King, donned her royal robes and daringly entered the inner court, a dangerous act without a royal summons, to defend her people. This initially angered the King and Esther in response to his upset visage fainted into the arms of two maids. The King, who had a change of heart when the Queen fainted, then leapt from his throne to comfort her until she came to and eventually elected to spare the Jewish people and have the evil Haman hung.
Provenance: private Rancho Mirage, California, USA collection, by inheritance in 2020; ex-Dr. TDR Berreth, California, USA, acquired before 1982
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#179113
- Condition: Expected age wear with extensive craquelure. A few small areas of loss/repair with inpainting. Slight waviness to surface. Imagery and hues are still strong. Verso of canvas has darkened with age.
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