Marc Chagall: Esther, 1960, Original Lithograph for Verve Bible

 

For this work, Chagall depicted Esther larger than life, gracefully and stunningly beautiful, in mellow tints of blue and beige. She almost seems to be floating. In this way, he pays tribute to one of the greatest women of the people of Israel. Thanks to her beauty and great personality, Esther became the queen at the court of the Persian King, Artaxerxes, after he had cast out his wife because of disobedience. Esther's uncle Mordechai, who also lived at the royal court, uncovered a conspiracy against the King and in doing so saved his life. But Haman, the highest court official, enviously hated all Jews. He obtained a writ from the King allowing him to extinct all Jews in the kingdom. Mordechai begged Esther to intercede with the King. She went to the King even though she was banned from doing so under threat of the death penalty. She successfully changed the King's mind, and this was how she saved her people from being wiped out.

To this day, the Jewish holiday, Purim, reminds of Esther's great and couragous achievement. She risked her life for the Jewish people. In the lower part of the painting, we can also see Mordechai. He looks sorrow-stricken, his hands appear to be tied. His future seems grey and sullen, but there are signs of life and hope: the sun, plants and a tree.