Ahasuerus and Haman at the feast of Esther

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Ahasveros and Haman to the feast of Esther, Rembrandt (1660), 73x94cm, Pushkin museum. The painting is rather dark, because of the varnish that was used.
Ahasveros and Haman to the feast of Esther, Rembrandt (1660), 73x94cm, Pushkin museum. The painting is rather dark, because of the varnish that was used.

The painting Ahasveros and Haman to the feast of Esther is one of the few works of Rembrandt van Rijn of which all owners are known. The origin of the painting can be traced back to 1662, two years after its completion.

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[edit] Subject

The subject is an episode from chapters 5-7 of the book of Esther in the Old Testament. Haman, counciller to the king Ahasuerus, proposed to hang Mordechai for not paying him respect by standing as he entered the room or by greeting him,and also the entire Jewish nation as revenge for his pride. The Jewish people were saved by the intercession of Mordechai's cousin Esther, who was also Ahasuerus' wife. It is this rescue that is still celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim. In that festival, Haman is portrayed as the villain, and this is reflected in Rembrandt's depiction of him.

According to the Pushkin Museum this is one of the best creations of Rembrandt's late period.

“ The subject is an episode from the Book of Esther (the Old Testament, chapters 5, 6 and 7): Esther exposes before her royal husband King Ahasuerus the wily schemes of his courtier Haman aiming to destroy the entire community of the Jews. The dramatic conflict between the three persons is expressed through their restrained but eloquent gestures. The scene has a tense atmosphere of suspense. The figure of Esther is radiant, her robe with a long train is gleaming as if with precious stones. Haman is immersed in the shadows. Rembrandt achieves great depth in rendering the inner life, the spiritual energy of his characters.[1] ”

[edit] Rembrandt

Rembrandt was inspired by the play Hester, by Johannes Serwouters (1623-1677), when painting "Ahasuerus and Haman at the feast of Esther". It was first performed in 1659 and dedicated to Hinlopen's wife Leonore.[2] Serwouters wrote his play as a reaction to the pogroms in Eastern Europe. Hinlopen may have ordered the painting and in this way helping Rembrandt being in financial difficulties.

After its completion in 1660, Rembrandt sold the painting Ahasuerus and Haman at the feast of Esther to Jan J. Hinlopen.[3] This painting may be one of the few Rembrandt paintings whose provenance can be traced back to 1662, as in that year a poetry book by Jan Vos was published, which there were a number of few poems based on the paintings of Jan J. Hinlopen.[4] Jan Vos poem's describes the painting:

Here one sees Haman eating with Ahasuerus and Esther.
But it is in vain; his breast is full of regret and pain.
He eats Esther's food; but deeper into her heart.
The king is mad with revenge and rage.
The wrath of a monarch...[5]

[edit] Provenance

Part of Jan Hinlopen's collection passed to his daughters, this painting was one of them. Sara Hinlopen, the longest living of her family, died 89 years old, but without children.[6] Most of her belongings passed Nicolaes Geelvinck and his three sisters. Unfortunenately her will does not mention any painting, most probably to avoid inheritance taxes. Some money went to Margaretha Bicker, her sister-in-law, and her three servants.

In 1760 Ahasuerus and Haman at the Feast of Esther was sold as number 45 at an auction organized after the death of Gerard Hoet, a minor painter but important collector in The Hague, listed as coming from Nicolaes Geelvinck.[7]

In 1764 the painting came to the Hermitage through Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky, a German entrepreneur.

From 1862 until 1924 the Rembrandt was in the Museum Rumyantsev in Moscow.

The painting is now in the collection of the Pushkin Museum, also in Moscow.

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
  2. ^ Schwartz, G. (2006) Rembrandts Universe, His Art His Life His World, p. 112; Schwartz, G. (1987) Rembrandt, zijn leven, zijn schilderijen. Een nieuwe biografie met alle beschikbare schilderijen in kleur afgebeeld, p. 272-6.
  3. ^ Dudok van Heel, S.A.C. (1969) De Rembrandt's in de verzamelingen Hinlopen. In: Maandblad Amstelodamum, pp. 233-237. (In Dutch.)
  4. ^ Jan Vos (1726) Alle de gedichten van Jan Vos, pp. 360-3; see also pp. 388, 516, 536. (In Dutch.)
  5. ^ From: Slive, S. (1953) Rembrandt and his critics, 1630-1730, p. 52.
  6. ^ One of her in-laws mentioned in his diary she was blind already a few years, but healthy. She left a considerable amount of money being stingy. In: Het dagboek van J. Bicker Raye, bewerkt door F.M. Bijerinck & M.G. de Boer, (1935), p. 172.
  7. ^ Catalogus of naamlyst van schilderyen, met derzelver prysen, zedert ... 1752. tot ... 1768. ... openbaar verkogt. Dienende tot een vervolg ... op de ... cataloguen door Gerard Hoet ... / Uitgegeeven door Pieter Terwesten, 1770. pp. 220-234.
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