Art Institute of Chicago
Hanging (Depicting the Story of Esther and King Ahasuerus) (Needlework)
France or England
- Date
- 1575/1600
- Medium
- Linen, plain weave; embroidered with silk and wool in tent and cross stitch
- Culture
- France
- Department
- Textiles
- Institution
- Art Institute of Chicago
This needlework hanging recounts two scenes from the Old Testament story of Esther and the Persian king Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes). At the left, the seated Mordecai pleads with his cousin Esther, the Jewish queen, to intercede with the king to prevent the massacre of the Jews in the empire planned by the chief minister. At right, Esther swoons as Ahasuerus agrees to see her unannounced. In the end, the king heeded Esther's plea, and the enemies of the Jews were killed instead. The deliverance of the Jews in ancient Persia is celebrated annually on the Jewish holiday of Purim.
The authoritative record is held by Art Institute of Chicago. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.
Linked open data
Authority identifiers that link this record into the wider web of cultural data — stable references you can follow to the source.
- Object type
- AAT300014063
Related across collections
Semantically similar works from Art Institute of Chicago and other institutions.
Esther and Ahasuerus
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Esther Before Ahasuerus
Art Institute of Chicago
Esther before Ahasuerus
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Esther, Ahasuerus, and Haman
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Triumph of Mordecai
Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Triumph of Mordecai
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Megillah (scroll) with case
Minneapolis Institute of Art
The Sons of Artaxerxes, King of the Persians, Killed for Conspiring Against Their Father
Getty Museum
The Banquet of Ahasuerus
Getty Museum
The Massacre of the Innocents
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Athaliah, Queen of Judah, Dragged from the Temple
Getty Museum
Emperor Heraclius Slays the King of Persia
Art Institute of Chicago