JACOPO del SELLAIO
(b. ca. 1441, Firenze, d. 1493, Firenze)

The Banquet of Ahasuerus

c. 1485
Tempera on panel, 45 x 62 cm
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

The panel is part of a cycle of paintings dedicated to the story of biblical heroine Esther, who would become the wife of Persian king Ahasuerus (better known as Xerxes) and do her best to protect the Jewish people against a plot organised by a court dignitary. Esther's story was considered an example for Renaissance women and this subject was often chosen to decorate the furnishings in the bridal chambers of the wealthier classes. Three panels from the cycle in the Uffizi, together with one in the Louvre and another in the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, certainly made up a "cassone" or other similar piece of furniture. The cycle consists of modest paintings but they are very characteristic of Florentine taste in the second half of the 15th century.

The story begins with the banquet organized by Ahasuerus for the citizens of Susa in the courtyard of the palace. The king, who is wearing a large blue cloak embroidered in gold, is shown at the table, while he orders his queen, Vashti, to be called to attend the banquet and show off her beauty. The king is shown again, standing on the right, while he consults with dignitaries to decide on how to behave with Vashti, who has refused his invitation.

Jacopo del Sellaio shows the gardens of the Persian king's palace as a rich, flourishing place, with a pergola for grapes that shades the guests, and a meadow rich with flowers and plants. The sumptuous Far East is evoked by the rich curtains in the encampment of Ahasuerus's army chiefs who have come to the banquet, as well as the imaginative headdresses and the abundance of golden decorations. Behind the portico is a fountain and on a windowsill is a caged bird.




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