Description
Belshazzar’s Feast by Rembrandt captures a banquet interrupted by a mysterious hand writing luminous Hebrew characters on a wall. The richly dressed king turns sharply toward the apparition, extending an arm as the guests recoil around him. At the right, a woman bends away with a tipped vessel; the bright metal cups and the king’s embroidered cloak stand out against the deep surrounding shadows. Faces, hands and spilling wine make the sudden disturbance feel immediate.
Painted about 1636–38, the work draws on the Book of Daniel, in which Belshazzar uses sacred vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem at his feast. The writing announces judgment on his rule. Rembrandt translates that warning into a drama of light, movement and luxurious surfaces: the king’s broad gesture meets the radiance on the wall, while the startled gathering breaks into different reactions. The contrast between the feast’s material splendor and the unexplained message gives the scene its tension.
Learn about the printing process in our guide to giclée prints. Explore the Rembrandt print collection, or view Historical Painting.
