70″ x 33″ Venetian Vitreous Glass, smalti, gems, gold tessera, gold leaf on panel. Completed in March 2006.
This mosaic depicts the reward bestowed upon Mordechai for his loyalty to the King. (Mordechai had alerted the King of a secret plot arranged by some of his eunuchs to assassinate him). In a farcical turn of events, Haman, the Prime Minister, who believed he was the recipient of such tribute, suggested that the winner ride the Royal Horse wearing the Royal Crown and rich vestments, while holding the King’s Scepter.
The winner would be led around town to allow the public to rightfully honour such a loyal subject.As events unfolded, Mordechai was the winner, not Haman. With the tables turned and to Haman’s distress, the humiliated Prime Minister was forced to lead the public procession. In this mosaic, the wrought iron design, which appears in all the Queen Esther Series works as a unifying motif – symbolizing the oppression and segregation of women in an ancient patriarchal society – gets a different meaning when the Queen is not physically represented. Here it becomes part of the opulent palace gate with the Royal initial in the centre of the medallion. The streamers behind Mordechai represent the public celebration given in his honour.
