Belshazzar's Feast

The king twists away from the table, spreading one hand as he looks towards the writing on the wall. A vessel tips and liquid spills. The sumptuous meal has been interrupted by something none of the guests can control. Rembrandt, the Dutch painter, draws the story from the Book of Daniel. Belshazzar, king of Babylon, has used sacred vessels taken from Jerusalem’s Temple for his feast. A divine hand appears and writes a judgement that announces the end of his rule. Painted in the 1630s, the picture brings the warning close through bodies and objects. The king’s enormous turban, small crown and golden cloak make his wealth conspicuous, while his sudden turn reveals alarm. Bright light catches the writing and the faces nearest it. Religious pictures like this could hang in private homes in Amsterdam, where viewers knew the biblical story. The scene offers both a display of Rembrandt’s ability to paint an extraordinary event and a warning about power that mistakes borrowed splendour for security.