Purim celebrations – Caspar Philips Jacobsz., 1781

“Gemaskerd bal, by gelegenheid van het Joodsche Purim-feest.” [Purim mask festival] Etching by Caspar Philips Jacobsz. (1732-1789), after a drawing from 1780 by Pieter Wagenaar jr. (1747-1808). Published in 1781-1791 as part of William Hurd’s book on religions of 18th century Amsterdam. Coloured by a later hand. Size. 22,2 × 16,6 cm.

During the festival of Purim, people commemorate the day on which the fate of the Jewish people—who in the 5th century BCE lived in exile in the Persian Empire—was dramatically reversed and they were saved from extermination.

The Persian king Ahasuerus had taken the Jewish woman Esther as his wife, making her queen. Her uncle and foster father Mordechai learned that the Persian, antisemitic courtier Haman was plotting to annihilate the Jews. Mordechai informed Esther, who passed the message on to her husband, whereupon countermeasures could be taken. The result was that Haman, together with his sons and accomplices, was himself put to death, and this potential day of doom for the Jews was transformed into a festival day.

Purim is celebrated exuberantly. People dress up—some as the clever Esther, others as Uncle Mordechai, or as anything they like. During the celebration, people eat and drink, and the poor are not forgotten. Adults are permitted to become drunk—so drunk that by the end they can no longer tell the difference between “cursed is Haman” and “blessed is Mordechai.”

Price: Euro 395,-