In a palatial hall opening out onto a vast landscape, Frans Francken II condenses the final episodes of the Book of Esther into a single composition. On the right, Ahasuerus sits beneath an imposing orange canopy, surrounded by dignitaries wearing turbans and armed guards. In the foreground, Haman is being led away from the royal presence: his downfall, both physical and political, forms the climax of the picture.

The scene is staged like a theatre. The marble architecture, the canopy, the precious fabrics and the pseudo-Oriental costumes set the scene of the Persian court, whilst successive openings reveal secondary scenes.

Francken does not seek temporal unity: he tells a story. The viewer’s gaze shifts from the dénouement in the foreground to the events that led up to it, depicted on a smaller scale in the background planes.

Collection Nina Ayala Mallory