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Esther, Ahasuerus, and Haman
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Esther, the wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus, effectively concealed her Jewish identity until the prime minister Haman hatched a plot to annihilate the kingdom’s Jews. To save her people Esther persuades the king (at the center) to rescind his order. He then turns against Haman, who slumps in his seat, aware of his sudden fall from power and his bleak future.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineEsther, Ahasuerus, and Haman, c. 1668. Jan Steen (Dutch, 1626–1679). Oil on canvas; framed: 96.5 x 119.5 x 11 cm (38 x 47 1/16 x 4 5/16 in.); unframed: 70 x 93 cm (27 9/16 x 36 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1964.153
