Hortus Deliciarum 1190

This illumination shows Esther and King Ahasuerus seated behind a long table covered in a red and white checkered cloth. The king, wearing a jeweled crown, points his finger toward Haman as the queen watches. The table is set with various medieval food items, including a prominent braided pretzel and a decorated bowl.

As part of the 'Hortus Deliciarum' (Garden of Delights), this work represents the 12th-century tradition of the 'Speculum' or encyclopedia, which sought to organize all sacred and profane knowledge. It reflects the intellectual environment of the high Middle Ages before the rediscovery of the Corpus Hermeticum, where biblical history served as the primary framework for understanding moral philosophy.