Queen Esther in the Banquet of the Jews Painting by Tiago Azevedo

Queen Esther in the Banquet of the Jews Painting byTiago Azevedo

One of the most dramatic moments from the Book of Esther comes when the queen accuses the king’s advisor Haman of treachery against her people. Through her efforts, Haman’s plot for the slaughter of all the Jews in Persia was unmasked before King Ahasuerus Xerxes. Seated before his chamberlain, Harbonah, the king reacts in anger with arms outstretched and hands clenched. Across from him sits the isolated, shadowy figure of Haman, who cowers at the king’s wrath. Shortly thereafter, Haman’s life would end on the gallows.

In this painting with bold colors and dramatic energy of  Esther done in a pop surreal style. The painting in its scale, clarity of spatial organization, bold palette, and description of materials. Her seductive look shows how she used her intelligence and skills to prevent a mass genocide that was about to happen.

The theme of the book of Esther is God's protection of Israel. Although God is actually not mentioned in the book, He clearly saves His people from the scheme of Haman. Throughout history, the Jewish people have been treated unjustly, and the story of Esther tells of one of those occurrences.