Esther hearing of Haman's plot

Object Type
Rich and noble families often owned large numbers of tapestries, which could be transported as required from house to house. They were hung on the walls, where they helped to insulate draughty rooms as well as adding colour and interest to an interior. Some tapestries told a story, while others had a decorative design using popular motifs.

Design & Designing
There were two main stages to the design of a tapestry. First, a preliminary sketch was made. This was then converted into a full-size drawing, or cartoon, in which the design was shown in greater detail. The weavers followed this cartoon. Generally, the workshops employed a skilled craftsman to produce cartoons from the existing stock of designs, or by 'borrowing' from outside sources. Renowned artists were used only for important commissions.

Subjects Depicted
The story comes from the Old Testament. Esther was the wife of Xerxes, King of Persia. Unaware that she was Jewish, the King allowed his chief minister to order the massacre of all Jews in the Persian empire. Esther risked her own death to intercede with the King to save her people.

The subject was a favourite theme, particularly on tapestries of the15th and 16th century. A number of these survive, including two unrelated examples in the V&A, the piece described here and another with a different scene. Both Henry VIII and his Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, owned Esther tapestries and several sets are listed in the numerous entries for tapestries in the inventory of Henry VIII's possessions.