Art Institute of Chicago

Hanging (Depicting the Story of Esther and King Ahasuerus) (Needlework)

France or EnglandLinkedCulture matchlcp-43de627a4bf1

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
Object ID: 227615

From the Art Institute of Chicago record

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.

View at Art Institute of Chicago ↗

The authoritative record is held by Art Institute of Chicago. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.

Get printable QR codes

Open QR codes for this object page and the museum record. They stay collapsed until needed.

Open this page

See at Art Institute of Chicago

Provenance & credit

As published by the source institution. Coverage varies — not every institution's open-data feed includes ownership history.

Credit line: Gift of Dr. Jonathan and Mrs. Alexandra Zizmor
Provenance: Château Les Tours De Lenvège, Saussignac, France, before 2002; sold at Christie's New York, 2002; private owners; gift to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2014.