Belshazzar's Feast, Frans Francken II (Antwerp, 1581–1642) workshop/circle

Frans Francken II (Antwerp, 1581–1642) workshop/circle
Belshazzar's Feast

Oil on canvas (cm. 98 x 115 – Framed cm. 121,5 x 141,5)

Full details of the work (click HERE)

The painting, which shows us a sumptuous banquet set in the hall of a luxurious palace, represents the biblical episode in which the Babylonian king Belshazzar, who lived in the sixth century, had the gold and silver vessels stolen from the Temple of Jerusalem brought to drink from them with his more than a thousand dignitaries, wives and concubines (Bible, chapter 5, book of Daniel).

Suddenly, in the midst of the celebration, a blinding light appeared – here evoked by the rays coming from the large candelabra in the centre – and a mysterious hand carved 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 present at the banquet near the king, revealed that those words were God's negative judgment on Belshazzar and foretold the imminent end of his reign (that same night the sovereign was killed and the Babylonian kingdom was divided between the Medes and the Persians).

In particular, Daniel interpreted the individual words as follows: “Mane – God has counted your kingdom and put an end to it”, “Tekel, you have been weighed in the balance 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 the Flemish masters of the 17th century, can be attributed in style and compositional choices to the prolific workshop of Frans Francken (Antwerp 1581 – 1642), who loved to take up biblical themes in his works and in particular the great banquets of history (the wedding of Esther and Ahasuerus, Herod's Feast, Lazarus' Feast…), which offered him the opportunity to give space to his strong narrative propensity.

Born into an artistic family, Frans Francken II is considered the true protagonist of the lineage, the one who transformed the family workshop into a production center renowned throughout Europe. It should be added that he was surrounded by capable assistants, often his own family, and that his sons continued the business, varying little from the already widely tested compositions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting is sold complete with an antique frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

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