Artwork
The Banquet of Ahasuerus
The Banquet of Ahasuerus is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Jacopo da Sellaio. It is held in the collection of the Uffizi Gallery.
About this work
The Banquet of Ahasuerus is a painting by Jacopo da Sellaio. It was created in 1490.
The painting is part of a group of five tempera on panel paintings. These paintings depict scenes from a story and were likely used to decorate a piece of furniture.
To learn more about the artist's style and influences, look up the artist Jacopo da Sellaio.
Overview
The Banquet of Ahasuerus is a tempera on panel work executed around 1490 by Jacopo del Sellaio. It forms one of five panels that together illustrate a narrative sequence, likely intended as decorative panels for a cassone or similar piece of furniture.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays the royal banquet described in the biblical story of Esther and King Ahasuerus, emphasizing the courtly setting and the dramatic moment when the king’s attention is drawn to Esther. The composition reflects the moral and celebratory aspects of the tale, common in domestic decorative cycles of the period.
Technique & Style
Rendered in tempera, the panel displays the crisp linearity and bright palette characteristic of late‑15th‑century Florentine workshop practice. Sellaio’s handling shows the influence of Bartolomeo di Giovanni, particularly in the arrangement of figures and the ornamental treatment of architectural elements.
History & Provenance
The five‑panel series was produced by Sellaio’s studio, which specialized in cassoni and coffer decorations. Today three of the panels reside in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, while the remaining two are held by the Louvre in Paris and the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, reflecting a dispersed but well‑documented collection history.
Context
During the late Quattrocento, narrative panels for furniture were a popular means of bringing literary and biblical stories into the domestic sphere. Sellaio’s work fits within this tradition, serving both decorative and didactic functions for affluent patrons who commissioned such elaborate furnishings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacopo del Sellaio (1441/42–1493) was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance, active in his native Florence.
