TRIUMPH OF MORDECHAI

Author: Paolo Caliari known as Veronese

Century: XVI°

Church: Church of San Sebastiano

DATE: 1555

POSITION: nave ceiling (on map n°3)

METHOD: oil painting

Between 1st December 1555 and the 31st October 1556, Paolo Veronese executes the three grand masterpieces on the nave ceiling from the biblical book of Esther, the Jewish hereoine, that during her exile saved her people from the Persian King’s Assuero rage and from the Minister Aman’s conspiracies.

Mordechai, a servant of the Royal Palace, adoptive father of Esther and an inspiration to her work, with Ahasuerus, to free the Jews, is pictured here on a beautiful white horse

While he rides his horse with an angelic calmness, the horse seems to stop a moment before the emptiness, while Aman’s uncontrolled black horse is at the point of falling with his agitated horseman. Above people are overlooking from the balcony and some are waving, also a banner with a black eagle waves in the red sky.