The Triumph of Mordecai
Jean François de Troy·ca. 1736
Historical Context
Jean François de Troy painted The Triumph of Mordecai around 1736, depicting the pivotal scene from the Book of Esther where the Jewish courtier Mordecai is paraded through the streets of Susa in royal robes by his enemy Haman. De Troy was one of the leading French painters of the Regency and early Louis XV period, known for both grand biblical narratives and intimate scenes of aristocratic life (tableaux de mode). This work displays the theatrical grandeur and rich color that won him the directorship of the French Academy in Rome in 1738.
Technical Analysis
De Troy's oil technique shows the influence of Rubens in its warm, saturated palette and energetic composition, combined with the elegant figure types and luxurious fabric rendering characteristic of French Rococo painting at its most ambitious.
