The larger-than-life oil ... paintings and ceremonial objects, explores how the Book of Esther, particularly the titular queen’s courage in the face of persecution, inspired the Dutch master ...

A bridle hovers over the entire scene, drawing out the painting’s theme of moderation (ironic considering its creator’s notoriety). More so, the work bears the hallmarks of 17th-century Dutch ...

The old Dutch masters were particularly desirable ... The Dutch merchant class, which often was both subject and patron of these paintings, was emblematic of individualistic enterprise-driven ...