Genoese School, 17th century

Genoese school of the 17th century.
"Esther before Ahasuerus".
Oil on canvas.
The canvas is separated from the stretcher.
It has repainting, restorations, losses and breakage.
Measurements: 134 x 155 cm.
In spite of the state of conservation, the technical magnificence of the painter and the delicate and precise workmanship used in the composition of this painting can still be appreciated in the work. The scene presents a narrative from the Book of Esther, which is part of the Old Testament. The painting depicts Esther, the Jewish wife of King Ahasuerus, sometimes referred to as Xerxes in modern texts. After the king ordered the execution of all the Jewish people in the Persian Empire, Esther went to him, without being summoned, to beg him to spare her people. This broke court etiquette and Esther risked death in doing so. She ended up fainting before the king, which led to a change in the king's decision, allowing the Jews to defend themselves against her attack, preventing them from being killed. The rectangular work presents Esther in the centre of the composition, bending down in a clement attitude towards the king, with one hand on her chest, and the work with her palm facing upwards, adopting an explanatory gesture, so it may be the very moment when she is about to faint, or once Esther appears before the monarch with the intention of defending her people. On the left side of the scene, the figure of King Ahasuerus can be seen, seated on his throne, gazing sidelong at Esther. Both figures are recognisable in the scene, not only because of their prominent position, but also because they both have crowns on their heads. Finally, it should be noted that the image is completed by the secondary presence of various figures belonging both to Esther's court and to King Ahasuerus, all of which are set in a rich interior that allows us to make out a landscape in the distance through openings, dominated by the presence of a building whose architectural characteristics make it appear to be a place of worship.
It is worth noting that the Genoese school was one of the most important of the period, not only because of the enrichment of the city that led to the rebirth of culture, but also because it was the epicentre of numerous painters such as Van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens and Procaccini, among others. This convergence of artists was a great inspiration in the development of Genoese painting, which drew from such diverse sources as Flemish painting and the Lombard school, giving rise to a very personal and characteristic idiosyncrasy.

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