Esther before Ahasuerus.

Drawing, pen and black ink, brown wash, 16,5 x 23,4 cm, underlaid, unsigned (some sm. stains at upper left corner, dampstain at centre sl. affecting the image, trimmed to framing line, sm. hole at lower centre).

Under passe-partout.

An elegant drawing in which Esther is brought before the throne of Ahasuerus, after which she became the queen of Persia (Book of Esther). The scene is set in an antique-style palace. The drawing is very close in style to a drawing by Jost Amman (1539-1591) of Daniel in the Museum of Braunschweig (inv. ZWB VII 64a). Aside from the similarities in pictoral motifs such as the baldachin and the antique throne, the rendering of the figures and general composition of the present sheet reflects that of the Braunschweig drawing. In addition, many details such as the dog, the headgear of the king, the s-curved pose of Esther and the scroll-work ornament on the throne are all elements which can be traced to woodcuts designed by Amman.