Giovanni Guerra (Modena, 1544–1618)
Ahasuerus Condemns Eunuchs Bigthan and Teresh
circa 1590–1600
Pen drawing with brown watercolor ink, 23 × 16.5 cm
Rome, private collection
This previously unpublished drawing bears the Roman numeral XXIX at the top. It is, therefore, among the items that, although removed from the Genoa album, have retained the original numbering at the top, where as others bear Arabic numbers at the bottom left (Pierguidi 1997). The drawing likely portrays the moment when Ahasuerus declares the guilt of the eunuchs Bigthan and Teresh, who had been reported by Mordechai. The man on the left of the king can be iden tified as Haman, based on the staff of command and the headdress (which is similarly depicted in other drawings of the same series), whereas, in the other drawings of the series, Mordechai is wearing a sort of fabric cap or turban on his head.
SP
