Frans Francken II and Atelier, Balthazar's Feast

This oil painting on copper presents a rich composition of a festive scene to which the viewer is invited by the gaze of the figure in the foreground. It depicts the Feast of Belshazzar, the story of which is recounted in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. The story begins with the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II plundering the Temple in Jerusalem and seizing sacred objects such as golden goblets. His son, Belshazzar, became king in turn and gave a sumptuous feast for a thousand nobles of the kingdom, drinking wine in their presence. In his euphoria, he had the golden goblets his father had taken from the Temple brought in to feast with his guests. It was then that the hand of God appeared in the sky and wrote on the wall of the royal banquet the sentence against Belshazzar, leading to the end of his reign and his kingdom. Yet at that time, neither Belshazzar, nor the Magi, soothsayers, and astrologers could decipher the inscription. Then he spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “The man who reads this inscription and interprets it for me will be clothed in purple, adorned with a gold chain, and will be the third highest in the kingdom.” The reading of these inscriptions was entrusted to Daniel, who had been brought by his own father, Nebuchadnezzar II. Daniel deciphered the inscriptions, and he was then clothed in purple and adorned with the gold chain. That very night, Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldeans, was killed.

Painted on copper, which accentuates the luminosity of the colors and gives them depth. Belshazzar is in the foreground, depicted wearing a red cloak adorned with fur and jewels. He is identifiable by the throne on which he sits and by the crown, which signifies his status. The artist paid particular attention to the treatment of fabrics, jewelry, and the cups. The dark background shows two figures handling the cups. This scene depicts the banquet hall before the hand of God announces the sentence. The guests feast and converse; the atmosphere is lively, and the servants hurry to serve the dishes.

Francken the Younger II (1581–1642) was a Flemish artist of the Antwerp school, a member of the Guild of Saint Luke. He played a significant role in the development of Flemish art in the first half of the 17th century through his innovations in numerous genres, including genre scenes, and his introduction of new subjects. He frequently collaborated with the leading Antwerp painters of his time. His output consists primarily of small-scale paintings, often dealing with mythological, allegorical, or religious themes. He invented or popularized new themes such as genre scenes populated by monkeys, paintings of cabinets of curiosities, and scenes of witches. He also painted still lifes and landscapes. Another studio version of this banquet is in the Louvre Museum, but this one is more developed in its narrative, as it depicts the hand of God.

Image dimensions: 47 x 71 cm
Framed dimensions: 56 x 80 x 4 cm