John Martin (Haydon Bridge, Northumberland 1789-1854 Douglas, Isle of Man)

The Triumph of Mordecai

Details

John Martin (Haydon Bridge, Northumberland 1789-1854 Douglas, Isle of Man)
The Triumph of Mordecai
signed and dated 'J. Martin. 1830' (lower left)
pencil and watercolor, fragmentary watermark J WHATMAN
5 3/8 x 8¼ in. (13.6 x 21 cm.)

Provenance

Henry Kelsall.
Austin Slack.
The Rev. Aiden Slack (+).
Mrs. M. Bennett; Sotheby's, London, 23 November 1971, lot 93, where acquired by Gooden & Fox, London, for Christian Peper.

Exhibited

London, Hazlitt, Gooden and Fox, John Martin, 1789-1854, Loan Exhibition, Oil Paintings Watercolours Prints, 30 October-21 November 1975, no. 30, pl. 24, lent by Mr and Mrs Christian B. Peper.

Engraved

E. Finden, as the frontispiece for Forget Me Not, 1832.

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Lot Essay

This watercolour depicts a scene from the Book of Esther, chapter VI. Mordecai, a cousin of Esther the Queen, refused to subject himself to Haman the King's favourite. Haman in revenge tried to persuade King Ahasuerus that Mordecai should be hanged and all the Jews destroyed. However Ahasuerus, recalling that Mordecai had once warned the Queen of an attempt on his life honoured Mordecai instead, and Haman was forced to lead Mordecai in triumph dressed in the King's robes and riding the King's horse.

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