Venetian master 18th century circle of the Gurdi family ., ESTER BEGS KING AHASVEROS FOR SALVATION THE JEWS

The depiction is based on a biblical story in the Book of Esther: Esther was the wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus, but at the request of her uncle Mordecai she concealed her Jewish ancestry from the king. However, her uncle was a thorn in the side of the highest government official Haman, who convinced the king to destroy the Jewish people in the Persian Empire. The painting shows Queen Esther in front of the palace, surrounded by women, as she begs the king standing on the steps in front of his throne for mercy for the Jews, which is granted to her. On the right-hand edge is Haman, standing and ready for battle, while Mordechai, on the lower left-hand edge, is following the action attentively. Narrative depiction with magnificent palace architecture and several figures in front of a landscape with a light blue sky and grey-white cloud formations. Oil on canvas. 82 x 64.5 cm.