Zerubbabel Before Darius is an oil on oak panel painting by Nikolaus Knüpfer, now in the Hermitage Museum, in Saint Petersburg (inv. GE-6980). It was dated to after 1644 by Jo Saxton,[1] a date also accepted by the work's owner. The work is signed at the foot of the throne on the left hand side. The frame is significantly damaged and the bottom right of the panel is chipped away.
Zerubbabel Before Darius by Nikolaus Knüpfer
It illustrates the 'Darius contest', an episode in 1 Esdras (3:4 to 4:63) in which Darius's bodyguards debated what was the strongest thing in existence. One spoke argued it to be wine and another that it was the king, but Darius judged the competition won by Zerubbabel, who argued "Women are strongest, but above all things truth is victor".[2] It has previously been mistitled The Story of Artaxerxes, Daniel Defending Susanna from Slander and Allegory of Justice, with Kuznetsov restoring the present title in 1974,[3] though Dutch writers now referring to it as Zerubbabel Asking Darius's Permission to Restore the Temple in Jerusalem, referring to the reward granted to Zerubbabel by Darius for winning the debate (4:42-63).[4]
It first appears in the written record on 10 May 1764, when it was bought by privy counsellor Broggia in Bonn at a posthumous auction of Clemens August of Bavaria's collection. It was acquired by Paul I of Russia at the end of the 18th century - on the reverse is Paul's red wax seal and a label inscribed "ПДМ 1919", referring to the Pavlovsk Palace Museum, where it was kept.[5] Two numbers are painted onto the work - 120 at bottom left in white (its inventory number in the Pavlovsk Palace) and 78 in red at bottom right (meaning unclear). In the 1920s plans were mooted to sell it abroad and it was moved to the Soviet Antiquities Office, but the sale did not occur and it was moved to its present collection in 1931.[6]
ReferencesEdit
^Jo Saxton, Nicolaus Knupfer, an original artist: Monograph and catalogue raisonné of paintings and drawings. — Doornspijk, 2005. — page 16.
^(in Russian) Расшифровка символов и персонажей: Кузнецов Ю. Голландская живопись XVII—XVIII веков в Эрмитаже. Очерк-путеводитель. — Л., Искусство, 1988. — p. 147
^(in Russian) Соколова И. А. Государственный Эрмитаж. Голландская живопись XVII—XVIII веков: каталог коллекции: в 4 т. — СПб.: Изд-во Государственного Эрмитажа, 2017. — volume 2. — page 251.
zerubbabel, before, darius, panel, painting, nikolaus, knüpfer, hermitage, museum, saint, petersburg, 6980, dated, after, 1644, saxton, date, also, accepted, work, owner, work, signed, foot, throne, left, hand, side, frame, significantly, damaged, bottom, righ. Zerubbabel Before Darius is an oil on oak panel painting by Nikolaus Knupfer now in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg inv GE 6980 It was dated to after 1644 by Jo Saxton 1 a date also accepted by the work s owner The work is signed at the foot of the throne on the left hand side The frame is significantly damaged and the bottom right of the panel is chipped away Zerubbabel Before Darius by Nikolaus KnupferIt illustrates the Darius contest an episode in 1 Esdras 3 4 to 4 63 in which Darius s bodyguards debated what was the strongest thing in existence One spoke argued it to be wine and another that it was the king but Darius judged the competition won by Zerubbabel who argued Women are strongest but above all things truth is victor 2 It has previously been mistitled The Story of Artaxerxes Daniel Defending Susanna from Slander and Allegory of Justice with Kuznetsov restoring the present title in 1974 3 though Dutch writers now referring to it as Zerubbabel Asking Darius s Permission to Restore the Temple in Jerusalem referring to the reward granted to Zerubbabel by Darius for winning the debate 4 42 63 4 It first appears in the written record on 10 May 1764 when it was bought by privy counsellor Broggia in Bonn at a posthumous auction of Clemens August of Bavaria s collection It was acquired by Paul I of Russia at the end of the 18th century on the reverse is Paul s red wax seal and a label inscribed PDM 1919 referring to the Pavlovsk Palace Museum where it was kept 5 Two numbers are painted onto the work 120 at bottom left in white its inventory number in the Pavlovsk Palace and 78 in red at bottom right meaning unclear In the 1920s plans were mooted to sell it abroad and it was moved to the Soviet Antiquities Office but the sale did not occur and it was moved to its present collection in 1931 6 References Edit Jo Saxton Nicolaus Knupfer an original artist Monograph and catalogue raisonne of paintings and drawings Doornspijk 2005 page 16 in Russian Rasshifrovka simvolov i personazhej Kuznecov Yu Gollandskaya zhivopis XVII XVIII vekov v Ermitazhe Ocherk putevoditel L Iskusstvo 1988 p 147 in Dutch Yuri Ivanovich Kuznetsov Nikolaus Knupfer 1603 1655 Oud Holland 1974 No 88 3 P 169 181 RKD database entry in Dutch in Russian Sokolova I A Gosudarstvennyj Ermitazh Gollandskaya zhivopis XVII XVIII vekov katalog kollekcii v 4 t SPb Izd vo Gosudarstvennogo Ermitazha 2017 volume 2 page 251 Catalogue entry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Zerubbabel Before Darius amp oldid 1160868530, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
