William Etty, R.A.

Anonymous sale, London, Christie’s, 18 October 1985, lot 106.

The subject is taken from the Book of Esther in the Old Testament. The Persian king, Ahasuerus, had chosen Esther to be his wife, without knowing that she was Jewish. Esther had to acknowledge her heritage, however, when her husband’s wicked minister, Haman, decreed that all Jews be killed. Fortunately, when she came into the king’s presence to invite him to a banquet, Ahasuerus lowered his sceptre, demonstrating that 'she found favour in his sight' (Esther 5: 2). At the banquet, to which Esther also invited Haman, she revealed both her Jewish background and the minister’s plan (Esther 7: 1–10). As a result of his unwavering love for his wife, Ahasuerus ordered that Haman be killed and the decree nullified, thus preventing the annihilation of the Jews.