{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O127215"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O127215/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NW2236/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NW2236/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2024NW2236","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW2234","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW2233","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW2232","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW2231","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW2230","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW2229","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW2228","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NW2227","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NV2917","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BC5568","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ET3850","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BD3708","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O127215/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O127215","accessionNumber":"338-1866","objectType":"Tapestry","titles":[{"title":"Esther approaching Ahasuerus","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"This tapestry depicts a scene from the Old Testament story of Esther and Ahasuerus.  The subject  was a favourite theme in tapestries, particularly in the15th and 16th century.  Both Henry VIII and his Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, owned Esther tapestries and several sets are listed in the numerous entries for tapestries in the inventory of Henry VIII's possessions.\r\n\r\nEsther was the wife of  the King of Persia. The King, unaware that his wife is Jewish, allowed his chief minister to order the massacre of all Jews in the Persian empire. Mordecai, Esther's uncle, has instructed her as Queen to appear before Ahasuerus and plead the Jews' cause, although to approach unsummoned was at risk of death, 'except such to whom the King shall hold out the golden sceptre'. Esther risked her life by approaching the King unbidden. This dramatic moment is shown in the tapestry. Ahasuerus is seated on a throne under a canopy hung with rich fabrics, surrounded by courtiers. He extends the sceptre to Esther, who kneels before him, to indicate his approval of her request. In the upper corner to the left Esther is again represented wearing a crown and received by the King who advances towards her. On the right (above) the King and Queen are seen enthroned, listening to the music of a harp.  \n\nThe border is narrow and tightly packed with floral and leafy stems. ","physicalDescription":"Tapestry woven in silk and wool depicting a scene from the Old Testament story of Esther and Ahasuerus.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wool","id":"x40131"},{"text":"silk","id":"x30127"}],"techniques":[{"text":"tapestry","id":"AAT61981"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Tapestry-woven in silk and wool. 17 warp threads to inch (7 to cm).","categories":[{"text":"Tapestry","id":"THES48887"},{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Judaism","id":"THES48929"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2024NW2236","2024NW2234","2024NW2233","2024NW2232","2024NW2231","2024NW2230","2024NW2229","2024NW2228","2024NW2227","2024NV2917","2006BC5568","2011ET3850","2006BD3708"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"94","id":"THES49700"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Tapestry","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Brussels","id":"x31976"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1500-1525","earliest":"1500-01-01","latest":"1525-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"304","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"390","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Published, not checked on object","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from Caveletti of Madrid, for £9 9s 5d.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Tapestry depicting Esther approaching Ahasuerus, Brussels, 1500-25","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"George Wingfield Digby, Victoria and Albert Museum :The Tapestry Collection, Medieval and Renaissance, (1980) cat. no. 30"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Esther","id":"N588"},{"text":"Ahasuerus","id":"N1743"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"ESTHER AND AHASUERUS\r\nEsther wears a crown only in the background scenes, so that the main scene may depict Ahasuerus choosing Esther to be his queen rather than the more popular subject of Esther, regally dressed, risking death to avert the destruction of her people by approaching the King unbidden.\r\n\r\nNarrow border, styles of plants, figures and draperies are all typical of the fine Brussels tapestries exported throughout Europe in the early 16th century. Henry VIII on his death owned four sets of tapestry of the Story of Esther.\r\nFLEMISH (BRUSSELS); circa 1510-20\r\nMuseum number 338-1866","date":{"text":"before 2003","earliest":null,"latest":"2002-12-31"}},{"text":"Esther and Ahasuerus\r\nAbout 1510-20\r\n\r\nEsther's story is told in the Old Testament. She was the wife of Ahasuerus, King of Persia. Unaware that she was Jewish, the king allowed his chief minister to order the massacre of all Jews in his realm. Esther risked death to intercede with the king and save her people. The subject was a favourite one in 15th- and 16th-century tapestries. \r\n\r\nSouthern Netherlands\r\nTapestry-woven in wool and silk","date":{"text":"2008","earliest":"2008-01-01","latest":"2008-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["338-1866"],"accessionNumberNum":"338","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1866,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LV6570"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-05","recordCreationDate":"2006-08-17","availableToBook":false}}