Offered by Antichità Castelbarco
Frans Francken II (Antwerp, 1581–1642) workshop/circle
The Banquet of Belshazzar
Oil on canvas 98 x 115 cm In frame 121.5 x 141.5 cm
The painting, which shows us a sumptuous banquet set in the hall of a luxurious palace, depicts the biblical episode in which the Babylonian king Belshazzar, who lived in the 6th century, had the gold and silver vessels stolen from the Temple in Jerusalem brought to him to drink from with his more than a thousand dignitaries, wives and concubines (Bible, chapter 5, Book of Daniel).
Suddenly, in the middle of the feast, a blinding light appeared - evoked here by the rays coming from the large candelabra in the centre - and a mysterious hand engraved three incomprehensible words on the wall of the palace: “Mane, Thecel, Phares” (literally “I count, I weigh, I divide”).
The court soothsayers were unable to interpret them, but the prophet Daniel, who was attending the banquet near the King, revealed that those words were God's negative judgement on Belshazzar and foreshadowed the imminent end of his reign (that same night, the sovereign was killed and the Babylonian kingdom divided between the Medes and Persians).
In particular, Daniel interpreted the individual words as follows: ‘Mane - God has counted your kingdom and brought it to an end’, ‘Tèchel, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting’, ‘Phares, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians’ (Daniel 5:1-30).
The work, a valuable testimony to the descriptive richness typical of 17th-century Flemish masters, can be attributed in terms of style and compositional choices to the prolific workshop of Frans Francken (Antwerp 1581 - 1642), who loved to revisit biblical themes in his works, particularly the great banquets of history (the wedding of Esther and Ahasuerus, Herod's banquet, Lazarus' banquet...), which offered him the opportunity to give space to his strong narrative propensity.
Following in his father's footsteps, Frans Francken II is considered the true protagonist of the family line, the one who transformed the family workshop into a production centre known throughout Europe.
It should be added that he was surrounded by talented assistants, often members of his family, and that his sons continued the business, varying little from the compositions already widely experimented with.
Delevery information :
We take care of and organise the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.
We take great care We personally take care of the packaging, to which we devote a great deal of care: each work is carefully packed, first with arti- cle material, then with a custom-made wooden box.
Should you have the desire to see this or other works in person, we would be happy to welcome you to our gallery in Riva del Garda, Viale Giuseppe Canella 18, we are always open by appointment only.
